CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — The north central West Virginia area is experiencing an elevated risk of wildfire spread Monday afternoon, the National Weather Service has warned.

In a Special Weather Statement posted late Monday morning, the National Weather Service (NWS) out of Pittsburgh said that a combination of dry and windy conditions mean an elevated risk of wildfire spread.

The reason, according to the NWS, is because of minimum relative humidity values are forecast to drop into the mid to upper 20s across northern West Virginia and wind gusts between 20 and 30 mph.

The ridges of eastern Monongalia County; northwestern, eastern and western Preston County and eastern Tucker County, including Fairmont, Morgantown, Coopers Rock, Kingwood, Bruceton Mills, Terra Alta, Rowlesburg, Hazelton, Parsons, Hendricks, Saint George, Davis, Thomas and Canaan Valley, are included in the statement.

Areas of Ohio and Pennsylvania are also impacted.

The NWS is urging residents to use caution if they’re handling any potential ignition sources, such as machinery, cigarettes or matches, because if dry grasses and tree litter begin to burn, the fire will have the potential to spread rapidly.

This comes after the West Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) warned residents Friday against burning because of the dry, windy weather. This winter has not seen the amount of precipitation that the DOF would like.