Plenty of sunshine Thursday will warm the morning chill to near 70 degrees, but the continued dry air means high fire danger lingers in much of Georgia.

Winds gusting to 20 miles per hour, coupled with low humidity, prompted the National Weather Service to issue a special weather statement for high fire danger Thursday afternoon and evening.

The NWS expects relative humidity levels of 25 percent or less and sustained winds of 10 to 15 miles per hour.

Everyone is urged to use caution with outdoor burning and refrain from throwing out lit cigarettes.

High fire danger is expected in the Middle Georgia counties of Bibb, Houston, Peach, Baldwin, Greene, Henry, Butts, Jasper, Putnam, Hancock, Meriwether, Pike, Upson, Lamar, Monroe, Jones, Washington, Crawford, Twiggs, Wilkinson, Johnson, Macon, Bleckley, Laurens, Treutlen, Sumter, Dooly, Crisp, Pulaski, Wilcox, Dodge, Telfair, Wheeler, Montgomery and Toombs.