Alabama Forestry Commission counting on rain to tame wildfire threats

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - The Alabama Forestry Commission is reminding you we remain under a fire threat.

Firefighters hope the rain Tuesday night will give state and volunteer firefighters a breather from the fires.

On Tuesday alone, firefighters battled 10 fires that burned through nearly 90 acres.

Alabama Forestry Commission leaders say at least 200 fires have burned across Alabama since last Friday.

Forester Rick Oates says they don’t expect the storms to fully soak the state, but even a partial soaking of one inch would be a tremendous help.

“If we can get one to two inches of rain tonight, that would be fantastic. It would slow things down and give us a chance to catch our breath, make sure all of our equipment is in good repair and ready to go to deal with the rest of the week. I believe it’s going to be more of a partial thing,” said Oates.

Oates says even with the rain Tuesday, it’s going to be windy again Wednesday, another potential day of concern.

Northeast Regional Forester Jason Dockery says while historically we are seeing fewer fires than back in the 60s and 70s, this year’s spring fire season has been a bit more involved than in years past.

He says some people have been working non-stop since Monday morning. Right now, it’s all hands on deck.

“We’ve got about 175-180 firefighters,” said Dockery. “I would venture to say those that aren’t out fighting fires right now are just getting back from a fire, or they’re repairing equipment or they’re helping dispatch others to fires like I’ve been doing today. Our dispatch is so busy they can’t keep up.”

Dockery says they expect falling trees and power lines due to the gusty winds, which they will also respond to. He’s asking everyone to remain weather aware right now and if you see a fire, downed tree, or downed power line, to report it immediately.

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