DEVELOPING: Virginia forestry officials asking residents to postpone outdoor burning due to dry conditions

The Virginia Department of Forestry on Thursday encouraged residents to refrain from all outdoor burning due to conditions that State Wildland Fire Chief John Miller says pegs fire danger at high levels.

The alert report said dry air, gusty winds, and above-normal temperatures will increase the chances for wildfires along with low humidity and a forest floor that has leaves and wood dried from days of sunshine that can ignite easily.

Numerous out-of-control brush and grass fires have been reported in Southwest Virginia in the past week.

Statistics from the forestry service show the Abingdon District that stretches from Lee County to near Roanoke has had 23 wildfires since the start of 2021 and has had more than 1,300 acres charred from those blazes—the highest total in the state.

(IMAGE: Courtesy of St. Paul, Virginia Fire Department)