CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Officials at the West Virginia Division of Forestry announced that starting Sunday, March 1, no outdoor fires will be allowed between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. The ban continues through May 31.
Fires to burn brush or other yard debris may only be started after 4 p.m. and must be extinguished by 7 a.m. Outdoor burning is restricted to evening hours when cooler temperatures, increased humidity and calmer winds reduce the likelihood of fires spreading.
Other requirements for burning outdoors include clearing a safety strip of at least 10 feet around burning materials and attending the fire at all times until it is fully extinguished.
Fire Staff Assistant Ben Webster recommended keeping a rake, shovel and water hose nearby in case a brush fire does escape. He urged people to call 911 if they can't immediately extinguish an escaped blaze.
