The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a fire weather watch for all of northeast, east central and north central Kansas for Wednesday.

The watch is based on expected low relative humidity, high temperature and gusty winds. These conditions on top of the drought-stricken vegetation in the area mean that fires, once started, would be extremely hard to control, the NWS says.

Teri Smith, director of Douglas County emergency management, explained that, although the county is already under a burn ban, residents need to show even more caution during the fire weather watch.

“It’s important to understand that even throwing a cigarette out of a window could start a large fire,” she said.

Under the burn ban, smoking and grilling materials must be properly disposed of; failure to comply can result in misdemenor charges. Also banned are:

• Building, maintaining or using any open fire or camp fire “except in permanent stoves or fireplaces.”

• Burning fields, wild lands or trash.