Dry Conditions and Strong Winds Raise Fire Threat Across Alabama

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a Fire Weather Watch for portions of Alabama, effective Saturday, March 28, at 7 a.m. and lasting until 7 p.m.

Residents in the Fire Weather Watch area can expect humidity as low as 19 percent with northeast winds at 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

“The combination of a dry air mass and windy conditions will result in critical fire weather conditions,” said the National Weather Service in Birmingham. “Outdoor burning is not recommended.”

West Alabama Counties Under the Fire Weather Watch

Bibb

Fayette

Greene

Hale

Lamar

Perry

Pickens

Sumter

Tuscaloosa

Walker

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Alabama Forestry Commission Outlook

“With forecasts calling for elevated wind speeds and a dry front passage across the state, the Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) stated in a Facebook post that they “strongly discourage any outdoor burning until conditions improve. The agency also points to dropping relative humidity and an increase in wind speed on Saturday as especially concerning.”

The AFC reports that over the past week, 147 wildfires have burned roughly 5,600 acres of forestland across the state.

Four additional wildfires exceeded 200 acres each in:
A wildfire in Marengo County burned 505 acres
A wildfire in Montgomery County burned 464 acres
A large wildfire in Wilcox County burned 963 acres
- Choctaw County
- Covington County
- Etowah County
- Walker County

Mary K. – Weather Forecaster

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