Breezy, warm spring days are perfect for enjoying the outdoors, but they’re perfect, too, for wildfires. To prevent the spread of wildfire, the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) is urging residents to take extra precautions when burning yard debris, using an outdoor grill or enjoying campfires.
“Half of all the wildfires in Georgia every year happen between January and April,” said Greg Strenkowski, GFC Staff Forester. “The number one cause of wildfire is escaped debris burning, so we want to make sure everybody remembers what’s necessary to burn safely.”
Evaluating the weather is an important first step before lighting a match outdoors, according to Strenkowski. Wind carries sparks, and Georgia’s largest and most damaging wildfires have been recorded on windy April days. In April of 2007, Georgia experienced its largest wildfire in history, burning some 560,000 acres and causing millions of dollars in damage.
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