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The Alabama Forestry Commission continues to strongly discourage outdoor burning until conditions improve.

Now through the weekend, burn permits will be restricted to Certified Prescribed Burn Managers only. Special attention should be given to local weather outlets as fire weather conditions may change suddenly. Anyone who burns a field, grassland, or woodland without a burn permit may be subject to prosecution for committing a Class B misdemeanor.

Anyone who has burned in the last few days should check their fires to make sure they are properly extinguished. Smoking piles immediately adjacent to flammable vegetation have the chance to rekindle and spread under these conditions.

In addition to already dry conditions, predicted gusty winds and dropping relative humidities will combine to create dangerous wildfire behavior. These conditions create a greater-than-average potential for outdoor fires to escape easily and spread rapidly, taking longer – and more of the agency’s firefighting resources – to contain and ultimately control. Fast-moving wildfires not only destroy property and forests but also threaten the lives of citizens and endanger firefighters.

The Alabama Forestry Commission is the state agency committed to protecting Alabama’s invaluable forest assets as well as its citizens. To report a wildfire, call (800) 392-5679. For more information on the current wildfire situation in the state or any other forestry-related issues, contact your local AFC office or visit the agency website at www.forestry.alabama.gov.