Conditions Ripe for More Forest Fires
posted 11:28 pm Thu March 27, 2008 - Across the ABC 13 Viewing Area
reporter: Leigh Forrester
posted by: Webteam
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Fire crews have been on alert all day. The National Weather Service (web|news) has issued a Red Flag Warning, meaning conditions are ripe for brush fires. We talked with officials.
We've got winds, and low humidity, plus dry leaves. With that wind, one little spark could lead to a big problem. Thursday's warning is a bit too late for some parts of our area. For the past few days, fires have been popping up all over the place.
A fire on the Blue Ridge Parkway is still raging – 1,300 acres are destroyed so far. In Roanoke, kids playing with a lighter are to blame for a fire in the woods near Cave Spring High School. And in Bedford County and Lynchburg, we're told carelessness has started several fires lately. Nothing serious there but, nonetheless, it could be.
Greg Wormser, Lynchburg Fire Dept. - "We've been able to get to them quickly before they turn into a full fledge brush fire. But as we get a little more into the season, with the downed trees that we had over the few ice storms and few winds storms we had, the brush fires are going to become more of a hazard for us."
The weather service is asking you do any controlled burning until at least 6:00 for the time being. And that's because it's gets a little cooler at night and we're about to get even cooler this weekend.
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