MARTINSVILLE, VA – Early Monday afternoon, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for Franklin and Patrick County until 8:00 PM Monday, March 30, 2020.
With warm temperatures, low amount of humidity, and high winds in place for our area, this is the perfect ingredients for a high fire danger.
According to the Department of Forestry, a burn ban for Virginia continues until April 30, which means any outdoor burning is not allowed until after 4:00 PM.
A few ways you can prevent any open fires is not throwing any cigarettes or matches out of vehicles, which might cause the dry grass on the side of the road to catch fire, cover any open barrels with a weighted metal container, and stay at least 300 feet or more from any building.
Be sure to always have some type of water on standby, such as a water hose, if the fire spreads. If you are using charcoal to burn, make sure you drown it in water to prevent it from igniting again.
Always remember to never leave a fire unattended, even if it has a few sparks still remaining.