CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Fall Forest Fire Season got underway Wednesday. That means you cannot burn outdoors from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the end of the year. If you’re caught breaking the law, you face a fine of anywhere from $100 to $1,000. Burning is allowed from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. but there are strict laws in place.
“You have to clear a patch of earth, we call it a safety strip, around what you are burning that is clear down to the mineral soil so that there’s nothing flammable in there where a spark could catch fire and go off into the woods or the grass,” explained Leslie Smithson with the state Division of Forestry.
Someone must be with the fire at all times until it is fully out.
Last fall, a relatively small amount of acres were charred during Fall Forest Fire Season, a little more than 2,000. However, during this past Spring Forest Fire Season, from March to-June, that jumped to 11,000 acres.
Smithson said the amount of rain West Virginia receives over the next few months will play a major part in the number of acres that burn. However, there’s always the human factor.
“I just takes a spark to start a forest fire. That’s not just a cliche. It’s very dangerous (to burn) when it’s very windy,” stressed Smithson.
So is there any good time to burn? According to Smithson, it’s a judgment call.
“It’s just always best to err on the side of caution. If you think it’s too windy, if you think it’s too dry, then most likely it probably is and you should refrain from burning until we get some precipitation.”
The Division of Forestry’s map currently shows only low to moderate risk for a forest fire. Smithson said that will change as the leaves begin to fall and pile up on the ground, making for flammable tinder.
If a brush fire does get out of control, the person who started the blaze is responsible for the cost of clean up, not just on their land, but wherever the fire spreads.