The Alabama Forestry Commission has issued a burn ban, making it illegal to burn in 46 counties. Fire crews responded to 65 wildfires in Alabama on Sunday, a record number for the past two weeks, according to authorities.
Alabama counties listed in the burn ban are as follows:
- Autauga
- Bibb
- Blount
- Calhoun
- Chambers
- Cherokee
- Chilton
- Clay
- Cleburne
- Colbert
- Coosa
- Cullman
- Dallas
- DeKalb
- Elmore
- Etowah
- Fayette
- Franklin
- Greene
- Hale
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Lamar
- Lauderdale
- Lawrence
- Lee
- Limestone
- Lowndes
- Macon
- Madison
- Marion
- Marshall
- Montgomery
- Morgan
- Perry
- Pickens
- Randolph
- Russell
- Shelby
- St. Clair
- Sumter
- Talladega
- Tallapoosa
- Tuscaloosa
- Walker
- Winston.
Coleen Vansant with the Alabama Forestry Commission said they started the fall fire season in a prolonged drought and the cold front that came through 10 days ago brought low humidity and high winds, which has been the recipe for a perfect storm.
Vansant said they’re having a hard time putting enough water on these fires to extinguish them completely. Mostly crews are containing the fires and making sure they don’t threaten any structures.
Eighty percent of the fires they are responding to are threatening structures or homes.
“The situation is beyond critical right now,” Vansant said. “Arson and debris burning are the main causes for these fires and we are not sure why the public is not cooperating. Please stop all debris burning.”