Fires Across Middle Georgia Increase

Fires across Middle Georgia increase this time of year.

Dry air and gusty winds are causing controlled burns to run wild.

The month of February is one of the worst times for burning tree limbs and grass clippings. Yard maintenance burns are the leading cause of wildfires.

“People need to be mindful when they’re out burning,” says Baldwin County Fire Rescue’s Brandon Barth.

Baldwin County Fire Rescue were busy putting out three residential fires and seven grass fires over the weekend.

“One grass fire got out of control and actually caught a trailer on fire and completely destroyed that structure,” according to Barth.

Chief Meteorologist Michael Estime says dry plants, rough winds and low moisture are the current conditions in the area. Those conditions are all causes for fire to spread.

Georgia Forestry provides burn permits at no cost.

“You need a burn permit, that way you’ll get information from Georgia Forestry regarding the weather conditions and the burn conditions,” says Baldwin County Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Steve Somers.

Other tips for safe burning include clearing at least a 25-foot area around your burn pile of any flammable material.

Barth says, “Be sure to have a water source when burning, have dirt or something around the fire to keep the embers from spreading.”

He also recommends keeping the pile a manageable size.

Burn permits expire after one day.