No Burn Order Lifted for Some Counties

The southern half of Alabama has been removed from the state's "No Burn Order". Sumter, Greene, Hale and Perry counties and southward are among the 33 counties where the order has been lifted according to a release from the Alabama Forestry Commission.

Rainfall in those counties and 33 South Alabama counties has been sufficient enough to reduce the wildfire threat. The 34 counties in the Northern half of the state, including Pickens, Tuscaloosa and Bibb counties will remain under the order prohibiting burning outdoors.

The wildfire threat in South Alabama was significantly curtailed by heavy rainfall last week. Currently only six wildfires are being reported in South Alabama and the forestry commission says all are contained.

In North Alabama, where rainfall was lighter and more widespread last week, more wildfires are still burning. Two of the 39 wildfires in North Alabama are considered active. One of those fires is a small one just off of Lamar County Road 53 in the northern portion of the county. Two other wildfires burning in northeast Alabama are considered controlled.

The current U.S. Drought Monitor revealed the drought has worsened across Nort Alabama with Pickens, Tuscaloosa and Bibb and northward counties in Extreme Drought. Eastern and Western portions of the Tennessee Valley area of North Alabama are listed in Exceptional Drought.

The AFC release points out that, "Since October 1, AFC wildland firefighters, with the assistance of volunteer fire departments, have battled 727 wildfires consuming more than 7,770 acres across the state. With the No Burn order in place over the last nine days, 53 wildfires have burned approximately 200 acres of land in Alabama".

A wildfire earlier this month in the East Tuscaloosa County community of Griffin Ridge, near Brookwood, saw a large wildfire consumer 145-acres and destroy two homes.

Firefighters and meteorologists are hoping one to two inches of rainfall in the forecast the first of this week will further erode the drought and wildfire threat. The Alabama Forestry Commission will reassess the situation in North Alabama later this week.