{"id":1655,"date":"2025-03-21T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/?p=1655"},"modified":"2025-03-20T10:22:08","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T14:22:08","slug":"wildfires-and-weather","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wildfires-and-weather\/","title":{"rendered":"Wildfires and weather"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Firefighters have battled nearly 500 wildfires in Georgia so far this year. The fires have burned over 6.000 acres of forest lands. Photo courtesy of GFC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Heather N. Kolich, ANR Agent, UGA Extension Forsyth County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We tend to think of hazardous weather in terms of wind, snow, ice, rain, and floods. Dry weather can cause drought, which is bad news for lawns, crops, and occasionally waterway navigation. But dry weather can also set up the conditions for wildfires. This is why the weather app on my phone has sent a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) Special Weather Statement several times a day for two straight weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Weather is a factor in wildfire outbreaks. The Georgia Forestry Commission produces Fire Danger Rating maps every day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After our big rain event that produced over 4 inches of rain between February 12 and 13, 2025, in our area, most of the state became dry. On March 3, 2025, the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) released a special report on wildland fires. Firefighters had battled nearly 500 wildfires that had burned over 6,000 acres of forest lands across the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is just the beginning of the wildfire season, which runs from February through May in Georgia. On average, Georgia experiences over 2,300 wildfires each year. Weather creates the conditions for wildfires, and human activities, such as burning debris or tossing a cigarette, often provide the spark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a news release dated March 3, 2025, Georgia Forestry Commission Protection Chief Thomas Barrett stated, \u201cThe number one cause of these fires is escaped debris burning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barrett listed other sources of wildfire ignition, including backyard leaf piles, grills, campfires, hot machinery, and cigarettes. In addition to burning timber and forest lands, wildfires destroy buildings and vehicles and cause death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conditions that create fire hazards are low humidity, wind and wind gusts, and dry fuels, such as dead leaves, dry grasses, and branches. Temperature and drought levels are also factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Georgia no longer requires people to obtain a burn permit before burning hand-piled natural vegetation or yard debris comprised of leaves and limbs, GFC advises burners to follow safety practices with any outdoor burning. These include carefully planning the outdoor, or open, burn, starting with weather awareness and a check of the fire weather forecast on Georgia Forestry Commission Fire Weather System<\/a>.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GFC advises careful planning of outdoor burning, including following the SSTAR formula.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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If the weather conditions are safe for outdoor burning, follow the S-S-T-A-R<\/strong> formula when setting up your burn:<\/p>\n\n\n\n