Statewide burn ban goes into effect Saturday
ROANOKE, Va. โ Despite the fact that February has been exceptionally wet in our part of the Commonwealth, a statewide burn ban goes into effect Saturday, the 15th. The statewide law prohibits open air burning before 4 p.m. within 300 feet of woodlands. According to the Virginia Department of Forestry, 95% of wildfires are caused by human activity. When weather systems pass through this time of year, the relative humidity can drop by a lot afterward. That, in combination with a gusty wind, can act as a fuel for these kinds of fires.