DELMARVA - A multi-state burn ban has been implemented across Delmarva, including all of Delaware and several Maryland counties such as Wicomico, Worchester, and Somerset. The ban comes as the region faces a near-severe drought during a critical time for farmers in the midst of harvest season.
The burn ban, aimed at preventing potential wildfires, prohibits activities such as bonfires, burning lawn waste, and agricultural burning.
Fire officials and farmers are concerned that even a small spark could lead to widespread fires, threatening crops and property.
"We're abnormally dry right now," said Gino Lowe, a farmer in Hebron, and President of The Wicomico Farm Bureau. “The biggest thing for farmers, most people are harvesting corn and soybeans right now, is the fire danger. Least little spark, or a bearing goes out, or an exhaust from a vehicle in dry fodder and it will go up pretty quick.”
Farmers in Sussex County, like Caleb Kirk who was clearing crop today, emphasized how easily fires can start.
“They're just going about their day, not realizing how dry the conditions are," Kirk said. "But vehicles and cigarettes and everything else hot can cause a lot more damage than they think they're doing, by just not paying attention.”
Local fire departments are also raising the alarm. Salisbury Fire Chief Rob Frampton emphasized the immediate danger these conditions present.
“It doesn’t take much with the low humidity and the low moisture that we’ve had," Frampton said. "Any kind of open flame, discarded cigarette, spark, ember, you may not think or see it, but it goes up in the air 20, 40 feet away and it can catch an entire area on fire really, really quickly.”
In Delaware, Mike Lowe of the Laurel Fire Department reported that they’ve already seen a rise in brush fires.
“The ones we had over the weekend were intentionally set, and caused quite a problem," Lowe said. "The area was dry, we had a problem with fire spread, we had a problem keeping it contained, and it just created a lot of work—and danger to other properties.”
