ROCKY MOUNT, Va. – Virginia is in the middle of fire season and the constant sunshine has left the commonwealth more flammable than usual.
The high winds and low humidity contributed to several counties issuing an elevated wildfire risk advisory on Wednesday.
“The fire danger right now is the highest that it’s been all fire season,” said Bill Sweeney with the Virginia Department of Forestry. “In dry conditions like this, if you put the wind behind a fire, it will just take off.”
Sweeney says Franklin County firefighters alone have put out 20 brush fires since the start of fire season on February 15.
“We saw three or four yesterday,” recalled Sweeney. “Luckily they were able to hop on it, but if you don’t have to burn, don’t burn.”
Virginia has a burn ban in effect before 4 p.m. until the end of April.
Sweeney advised people to not to burn at all because of how flammable the grass can be.
“This weather is not doing us any favors,” Sweeney said. “When you have hot, dry conditions like what we’re having, it makes fuel more available. Grasses are what we consider to be fine flashy fuels, meaning they burn very quickly.”