1-26-12 Forest fires down significantly in Hampshire County

Posted by MARLA PISCIOTTA Review Staff Latest Headlines Thursday, January 26th, 2012

Smallest number of forest fires in state since 2001

CHARLESTON — From July 1 through Dec. 31, 2011, the West Virginia Division of Forestry logged only 1.1 acres being burned by forest fires in Hampshire County.

Two fires were logged, both in Augusta, according to Leslie Fitzwater, public information specialist for the West Virginia Department of Commerce.

“One fire was caused by lightning that burned .1 acres and the second fire, also in Augusta, was caused by equipment use or downed power line that burned one acre,” said Fitzwater.

There were 16 fires logged during the spring of 2011 that burned more than 20 acres.

Fitzwater said she feels the new outdoor burning hours along with wet weather reduced the number of forest fires in West Virginia this past fall.

“From July 1 through Dec. 31, the West Virginia Division of Forestry recorded 153 fires that burned just shy of 4,000 acres statewide,” said assistant state forester Walt Jackson.

“Forest fires started from fires built to burn debris dropped from 42 percent in the spring to 22 percent in the fall. I believe changing the legal burning time to after 5 p.m. was a great help.”

The leading cause of fire this past fall was incendiary or arson-related and accounted for 31 percent of all the fires in West Virginia. Equipment use rounded out the top three causes with 21 percent. The other 26 percent of fires were attributed to children, lightning or miscellaneous causes or are still under investigation.

Statewide fire statistics show that 2011 had less forest fires than any year since 2001.

Statewide fire statistics:

2011 – 479 fires burned 5,715 acres

2010 – 766 fires burned 22,911 acres

2009 – 984 fires burned 14,973 acres

2008 – 889 fires burned 13,152 acres

2007 – 849 fires burned 7,122 acres

2006 – 1,022 fires burned 17,608 acres

2005 – 757 fires burned 12,436 acres

2004 – 632 fires burned 6,022 acres

2003 – 669 fires burned 8,730 acres

2002 – 959 fires burned 10,024 acres

2001 – 887 fires burned 86,465 acres

The spring 2012 forest fire season starts March 1. For information about the state’s outdoor burning laws and safe outdoor burning tips, visit the Division of Forestry’s website at www.wvforestry.com.