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Beyond The Forecast: Spring wildfire season begins in Virginia

(Copyright 2021 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.)

Happy Monday! It might be hard to believe due to this gloomy, wet weather pattern we’ve been stuck in, but today is the first day of spring wildfire season in the Commonwealth.

The 4 p.m. burning law will be in effect through April 30. If you burn before 4 p.m., you could be charged with a class 3 misdemeanor and face a fine of up to $500.

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According to the Virginia Department of Forestry, more than 95 percent of wildfires in the Commonwealth are caused by humans.

We have some tips on how you can prevent wildfires where you live. Cleaning gutters, trimming overgrown tree branches and using extra caution with cigarette butts are all smart ideas.

(Copyright 2021 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.)

While we don’t have any significant fire weather conditions in the forecast this week, we will certainly let you know if dry air and high winds come our way in the next couple of months.

Switching gears to this week’s forecast, Your Local Weather Authority is tracking a couple more rounds of wintry weather. Chris Michaels has a look at when we could finally see the sun again in our daily forecast article.

You can always get specific forecast details for your zone, whether it’s the Roanoke Valley, Southside, the Highlands or elsewhere around Southwest and Central Virginia, anytime at WSLS.com/weather. Know your zone!

In case you missed it, we’re posting great weather and science content on WSLS.com. Here are a few links from the past week to check out:

If you prefer your weather information delivered by social media, you can follow Your Local Weather Authority on Facebook and Twitter.

-- Justin McKee