Drought Conditions Increase Wildland Fire Risk in Virginia;
Fire Activity Higher This Summer Than Last Summer

Officials with the Virginia Department of Forestry report a 207 percent increase in the number of wildland fires and a 405 percent increase in the number of acres burned this summer than during the same period in 2006.

A total of 169 wildland fires scorched 970 acres between June 1 and August 14, 2007. Last summer, there were 55 fires that burned 192 acres.

“We are certainly experiencing a lot more fire activity this summer,” said John Miller, director of resource protection. “We’ve had a fair number of lightning strikes that have caused some good-sized fires, but we’ve also had a significant number of fires caused by people burning debris.”

The Virginia Department of Forestry has long advocated alternatives to burning as a means of waste disposal. Even when weather conditions are not a concern, there are safer, more efficient ways of disposing of waste. Recycling, composting and chipping are alternatives to debris burning. If you must burn, burn responsibly. Postpone burning until right after a rain; burn small amounts at a time; have a rake or shovel and water nearby, and follow all local restrictions if you live in an area that has them in place. Call 911 immediately should your fire get out of control.

Miller said that there are drought-like conditions across the Commonwealth this summer that have dried out woods and fields. “The drought index in many parts of the state is over 500 and in two of the state’s six regions it’s at 650. The drought index scale only goes to 800, and that’s desert conditions,” he said. Miller added that several counties have put burn bans in place until conditions improve.

State Forester Carl Garrison said, “All areas of the Commonwealth need some significant and steady precipitation. Without several inches of rain over the course of a couple weeks, we could be in store for a very active fall fire season.”

For more information on wildland fires and how to protect yourself and your property, visit www.dof.virginia.gov.

-30-

The Virginia Department of Forestry protects and develops healthy, sustainable forest resources for Virginians. Headquartered in Charlottesville, there are Forestry staff members assigned to every county to provide service to citizens of the Commonwealth. VDOF is an equal opportunity provider.

With nearly 16 million acres of forest land and more than 184,000 Virginians employed in forestry, forest products and related industries, Virginia forests provide more than $29 Billion annually in benefits to the Commonwealth.