West Virginia spring fire season and burning restrictions return March 1

Feb. 29—By GREG JORDAN

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Rain soaked much of the region Wednesday, but the approach of warmer weather and high winds are coming with the start this March of West Virginia's spring fire season.

The start of West Virginia's annual spring fire season on Friday, March 1 marks the return of burning restrictions, according to the West Virginia Division of Forestry. The division is reminding citizens to confine their outdoor burning to the hours of 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. according to the West Virginia State Code Chapter 20-3-5. Fires set during that time must be put out before 7 a.m.

Gov. Jim Justice spoke about the start of this year's spring fire season Wednesday during his virtual administrative update. Justice said that he thinks about past fire seasons when he goes on spring hunts for wild turkeys.

"The woods, the leaves that are everywhere that had fallen last fall, create a fire hazard you couldn't imagine," the governor said. "In the spring we had fires everywhere and, in fact, the air we were breathing was full of smoke and visibility on the highways was really tough."

Fires have occurred already throughout the state.

"Since Jan. 1 we have responded to 95 fires that have burned approximately 389.1 acres, " said State Forester Jeremy Jones.

Statewide burning restrictions will remain in effect until the close of the spring fire season on May 31.

The Division of Forestry has issued burning guidelines on its website at wvforestry.com/fire-laws.

Regulations include:

— All fires must have a safety strip.

— The safety strip itself must be cleared of burnable material and be at least 10 feet wide.

— Fire must be attended until completely extinguished.

— Only vegetative materials such as leaves, brush and yard clippings are permitted to be burnt.

— Spark-throwing machinery such as power shovels or sawmills operating on land subject to fire must contain an adequate spark arrestor.

— Inflammable waste disposal areas must annually remove all grass, brush, debris, and other inflammable material adjacent to disposal areas to provide adequate protection, preventing the escape of fire to adjacent lands.

"Our fire laws protect one of West Virginia's most valuable resources: our forests," Jones said. "We urge everyone who decides to burn anything outside to be completely familiar with the guidelines available on our website. During the spring months it doesn't take long for our fuels to dry out and fires to escape easily."

Commercial burning during prohibited periods requires a permit, which are issued by local WVDOF offices. A permit is required for each commercial burning site.

Any person or company who causes a fire on any grass or forest land must reimburse the state for costs to suppress the fire.

Fines for forest fires caused by negligence range from $100 to $1,000 with an additional civil penalty of $200.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com