Alabama issues fire alert as drought worsens

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (WDEF) – The Alabama Forestry Commission is warning about increasing danger from wildfires. 

All of the News 12 area is under some level of drought.

Wildfires in Tennessee that occurred in 1986.

Due to the drought combined with dry and windy conditions, Alabama is under a Fire Alert.

It is not an outright ban on burns, but citizens are asked to avoid burning if at all possible as any small fire could quickly burn out of control.

Jeff Keener, a forestry specialist with the Alabama Forestry Commission, said, “We’ve had a few fires where folks have been burning some yard debris and two days later that same fire escaped, just because it has been so dry, those embers will sit there and smolder and burn. They will even burn underground in some areas of the state.”

Keener added there were over 20 fires across Alabama over the weekend, and that this could be the most dangerous fall fire season since 2016 which saw numerous wildfires in our region including the destructive fire in Gatlinburg.

He says if you have debris to get rid of, take it to a trash collection site or have it picked up.