Information on brush fires and burn bans

MARIETTA, Ohio (WTAP) - With the upcoming winds local fire departments want to keep everyone safe.

Fires can easily get out of hand this time of year due to dry conditions and the winds that pick up in the afternoon.

Fires can start from the smallest of sparks or a piece of ash and quickly grow into a brush fire if not caught.

Marietta Fire Chief C.W. Durham has some things you should do if you see a brush fire.

“If you see a brush fire that started, make sure to call 9-1-1; activate the emergency services, and they will be out there as quickly as possible to handle that situation. Be very careful approaching what you see as a brush fire because you don’t know what started it. It could have been a downed power line, maybe hidden from view, and you don’t want to put yourself in harms way. So call 9-1-1 and let first responders handle the situations for you,” said Durham.

There is a burn ban in effect for Ohio from 6 am until 6 pm through May and from 7 am until 5 pm for West Virginia.

For more information on the burn ban in Ohio you can visit Ohio EPA or Ohio DNR and for West Virginia you can visit WV Forestry.

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