Fire Alert issued for counties in southwest Alabama

The Alabama Forestry Commission has issued a Fire Alert for Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, and Washington counties in the southwest region effective immediately. Gusty winds and low relative humidities are combining to create dangerous wildfire behavior, the department said in a news release.

“Windy conditions are expected today through Thursday with gusts approaching 30 mph, making fires very difficult to control,” said Southwest Regional Forester Benji Elmore. “Even with any rain received in the next few days, windy conditions will still pose a threat. Fast moving wildfires not only destroy property and forests, but also threaten the lives of citizens and endanger firefighters.”

The number and size of wildfires increased over the weekend, Elmore said.

In the last four days, 168 wildfires have burned approximately 6,365 acres of forestland across the state, making up one-third of all the acres burned in Alabama since Oct. 1 (the beginning of the agency’s fiscal year). More than half of that acreage occurred in those southwest counties, including a 1,210-acre wildfire in Baldwin County, one for 300 acres in Washington County, a 275-acre fire in Escambia County, one for 240 acres in Mobile County, and six others over 100 acres.

Other parts of the state also experienced large wildfires in the last few days: a 400-acre fire in Sumter County, one for 200 acres in Chambers County, one for 165 acres in Randolph County, two fires over 100 acres in both Butler and Russell counties, as well as a 100-acre fire in Winston County.

“In the past 30 days, 327 wildfires have burned approximately 8,394 acres statewide,” Elmore said.

Permits for outdoor burning in these specified counties will be restricted to Certified Prescribed Burn Managers, Elmore said.

“Anyone who burns a field, grassland, or woodland without a burn permit may be subject to prosecution for committing a Class B misdemeanor,” he said.

If burning with a permit in other parts of the state, the agency recommends using extreme caution and staying abreast of local weather updates because of the windy conditions.