DANVILLE, Va. – As wildfire ravages Pilot Mountain in North Carolina, communities in Southside are on high alert.
Henry County is the latest to join the growing list of communities putting a burn ban in place.
10 News spoke with Danville’s assistant fire marshal about the ban and the dangerously dry conditions.
[Dry weather conditions fueling concerns for wildfires in Southwest Virginia]
With temperatures nearing the 70s, it’s not feeling like early December in Danville. The dry conditions plus low humidity is a dangerous recipe for a fire.
“It’s been dry for a couple of months,” said Danville Assistant Fire Marshall Lt. Richard Guill.
That’s why Danville and Pittsylvania County enacted a ban on burning leaves, brush and other vegetation.
Guill said it doesn’t take much for a fire to spread.
“Our houses are close together, our buildings are close together, that’s what makes it really dangerous inside the city,” he said.
The National Weather Service says the drought could last up to two weeks, but until we get any significant rain or snowfall, the burn ban will stay in effect.
“Even if you get a small rain with the wind blowing it dries the top of the leaves and the grass right back out,” said Guill.
November was the driest on record for Danville.
Campfires, discarded cigarettes and even a stray spark could quickly get out of control, like the wildfire at Pilot Mountain State Park in North Carolina.
“A fire doesn’t stop at the state line and say, ‘we can’t cross it,’” he said.
It’s a class 1 misdemeanor to violate the burn ban. You could face up to a $2,500 fine and a year in prison.
“A very small spark can grow very quickly in these types of fire conditions, so be very careful.”