BY CHRIS LAWRENCE
CHARLESTON — As the calendar flipped over to October, the changes for autumn included not only the changing leaf color in West Virginia, but also the laws regarding open burning.
The fall forest fire season and burning restrictions are now in effect through the end of the year.
Any outdoor burning must be done between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m.
“It’s actually based on the science of weather,” said West Virginia Division of Forestry Director Jeremy Jones. “In the evening, after 5 p.m., the humidity goes up, the wind generally dies down, and that’s why we generally allow burning in the evening.”
This week’s forecast calls for warm and dry conditions. Even in the fall months a rain shower will only be effective for a brief period of time before the winds and low humidity, along with warm sunshine, dry out the woods again and make them ripe for fire.
Any fire must be ringed by 10 feet of barren soil and needs to be attended for the entire time it is burning. Having a hose nearby isn’t a bad idea.
According to Jones, losing control of a debris fire is the top cause of forest fires in West Virginia, but he noted almost every forest fire is a result of human activity.
“In theory, we could prevent all the fires if people would just be careful,” he said.
It’s important to note illegal burning can result in some stiff fines if you’re caught, but the cost could be far more if your fire gets out of hand and jumps onto other people’s property.
“If your fire escapes and causes damage, you could absolutely be liable for that damage,” he added.
Jones noted crews from the Division of Forestry have been busy prepping for fire season
“We do a lot of work to prepare by checking our equipment and making sure all of our tools are ready to roll,” he said.
