Dry conditions make wildfires more likely

Firefighters from Eastpoint and St. George Island along with the Division of Forestry were called out Wednesday for a small woods fire along Highway 98 east of the Franklin County school.

The fire started when a power line fell and ignited the dry underbrush.

The fire only damaged a few acres, though it did throw up a lot of smoke.

The fire was controlled quickly though officials were on the scene for about 4 hours making sure the fire didn't spread.

Officials say dry conditions are making wildfires more likely; they have seen multiple wildfires spur from cooking and warming fires.

Normally, most fires that have any significance occur in the heat of the day when humidity is at its lowest and temperatures are high.

These recent fires are now spreading quickly, even at night. 

Even though some areas may be seeing showers, it’s not enough.

Our area has not received any appreciable rainfall in over 50 days.

The drying trend continues and fire danger will steadily increase until the area receives an appreciable amount of rain.  

A few tips for the public to remember, never leave a fire unattended and completely extinguish it until it’s cold.

Avoid burning on windy days and keep a water source and a suppression tool, like a shovel, on hand.

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