ROSEDALE, Md. — Brush fires covering eight to ten acres in Rosedale caused traffic delays along the I-695 inner loop at 702 Tuesday afternoon.
"They had that area blocked off tight because they didn't want anything to catch on fire that didn't need to be on fire, so they were just trying to be very careful," said Rachelle Alexander, Baltimore County Fire Department PIO.
Train service was also temporarily suspended due to the tracks being in the affected area.
Drivers sat in traffic for longer than usual. For some, pulling off the side of the beltway was the best option.
"I got an oversized load; I can't go off route, I gotta stay in route. So if I go off route I can hit a bridge or something, it's going to be on me," said Gary McBean, a truck driver.
Baltimore, Harford, Anne Arundel, Howard, and Carroll Counties were under a Red Flag Warning for most of the day.
According to WMAR-2 News' Meterologist Chris Swaim, fires can start easily due to low humidity and gusty winds.
"It's a combination of the low humidity we had today, the dry conditions, the heat, and then we had some gusty winds 20 to 30 miles per hour. So fires can start easy they have dry timber, then they spread out of control quick, much like billows work to pump up a fire; the wind today worked to fuel oxygen and spreads it fast," said Swaim.
He says the last Red Flag Warning was in March 2021, but the Baltimore County Fire Department is asking everyone to be aware as summer weather approaches.
"Limit any outdoor things that may lead to a fire or anything that may cause a spark or anything like that just to keep yourself safe. Like discarding cigarettes in brushed areas, that's a huge thing," said Alexander.
The fire was contained, and there no injuries to report. The cause of the brush fire is under investigation.
