State Forester Rick Oates lifts the fire warning for eight counties in southwestern Alabama as wildfire conditions in Alabama ease due to rainfall across much of the state in recent days. did.

The Alabama Forestry Commission has also resumed issuing permits for outdoor burning. The alert was issued on February 26th.

The AFC announced it had extinguished 311 wildfires in the last nine days of February, burning approximately 10,459 acres across Alabama. That number is nearly double the area burned by wildfires since Oct. 1, when the agency's fiscal year began.

The Forestry Commission advises people who burn outdoors to keep an eye on the fire until it's extinguished (it's cool to the touch), to have the necessary equipment and personnel to extinguish the fire, and to use garden hoses and We urge you to follow safety recommendations such as having other water supplies available. It is on hand for burns caused by small fragments.

The agency also recommends that people take extreme caution and keep up to date with local weather information, as winds can be strong at this time of year. Fires larger than 4 acres in size or within 25 feet of a forested area require an AFC permit.

Burn permits can be obtained by calling 800-392-5679. Anyone who burns fields, grasslands, or forests without obtaining a burn permit may be charged with committing a Class B misdemeanor. To report a wildfire, call 800-392-5679.