Smoke from wildfires at Aberdeen Proving Ground is still impacting Harford County communities over a week after the blazes started, according to officials.
The fires ignited Nov. 2 and have continued due to low humidity and high winds, officials say. According to a Sunday news release from Harford County Fire and EMS, Aberdeen Proving Ground personnel are still monitoring a “smoldering” fire.
Residents should not report smoke to 911 unless they see an active fire, according to the release.
Smoke from what started out as uncontrolled range fires on the Army testing ground became noticeable to Harford residents Nov. 3.
On Monday, Aberdeen Proving Ground Chief of Public Affairs Emily Myers said the fire, which affected 1,000 acres of forestry, had been controlled. However, smoke from the fires has been an ongoing issue for residents in the surrounding communities as trees, stumps and topography continue to smolder.
The fire came amid drought-like conditions throughout Maryland, where the state’s Department of Natural Resources issued a burn ban Nov. 1. Federal facilities, however, “generally are exempt” from burn bans, a DNR spokesperson said.
The fire was believed to have been started by what Myers said was a “change in wind” that ignited smoldering embers from “residual materials” in “remote areas” of the munitions test site.
Myers said approximately 50 brush fires occur at the proving ground each year and that the last one “of substance” occurred Oct. 23, extinguished the same day. The fires are usually small, but leaves, stumps and marshy areas create “a lot of smoke,” she said.
Harford County Fire and EMS said the rain forecast for Sunday will “greatly help reduce smoke” and assist with extinguishing the remaining embers.
Have a news tip? Contact Matt Hubbard at mhubbard@baltsun.com, 443-651-0101 or @mthubb on X.
Leave A Comment