According to the National Weather Service, a fire weather watch has been issued for the Stroudsburg area and virtually all of the Poconos, including all of Monroe County. The alert will be in effect beginning today at 11am and it runs until 8 this evening. The watch means that critical fire weather conditions are possible, and there is an increase disk for rapid wildfire growth and spread. It also means even prescribed burns may get out of control. Winds today will come from the west, gusting at times up to 30 miles per hour. That, combined with the low humidity and higher temperatures, means outdoor burning of any kind today is discouraged, and should be considered highly dangerous.