Wildfire Danger—We still need to be cautious

Ed Stoots, regional forester for the Virginia Department of Forestry in Southwest Virginia said, “I would like to thank area residents for heeding the fire danger warnings and restrictions. Considering the drought-like conditions of this area, we have had relatively few fires.”

The recent rainfall has helped in reducing the wildfire potential. However, the Department of Forestry warns that we still have four to five weeks of fall fire season in a period that remains drier than normal. Stoots added, “There is no significant rainfall in the forecast; therefore, people still need to be very cautious.”

More than 95 percent of wildfires are human-caused. Open burning and arson are the primary causes of these fires. Wildfire not only burns vegetation, it can also result in the loss of lives and property. The person responsible for starting a wildfire can be held responsible for the cost of putting the fire out.

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For more information, please contact your local office of the Virginia Department of Forestry or the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest at the U.S. Forest Service.