Wildfire season starts in Tennessee
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HENDERSON, Tenn. — Just as wildfire season begins across the state, many fire departments here in West Tennessee issue burn bans due to an increased fire risk. Cooler temperatures and campfires seem to go hand in hand but they can pose a danger. “Always monitor weather conditions. Make sure it’s safe for burning,” Jackson Fire Marshal Lamar Childress said. Wildfire season starts Oct. 15 in Tennessee and runs through May 15. “We issue [burn permits] out for various times,” Childress said. “Sometimes we issue them out for day to day, sometimes we issue out for one to two weeks.” Regulations include not burning if winds are stronger than 10 mph and the fire must be kept 50 feet away from structures. “The leaves and everything are dying. It’s fall time, stuff is a lot dryer, so the conditions are just right to have a fire break out and cause a lot of damage to forests or other natural areas,” said Chickasaw State Park ranger Ann Paley. When burning, some of the weather conditions to pay attention to are a mix of warm temperatures, low humidity and wind. Those are all factors that could spread a fire. Fire officials say due to the dry conditions they do see an increase in brush fires. “If you’re going to burn, make sure you have the proper safety tools with you,” Paley said. “Fire-X, water to douse if necessary, and don’t leave your fire unattended. If it’s still burning, you should be watching it.” “I took precautions and took the big sticks and made them into little sticks, so when I put them on the fire, the fire wouldn’t spread,” camper Hayden Prather said. There are a few exceptions to the burn permit requirements. For those, visit the Seen on 7 section of our website.
