Cullman County and the rest of Alabama is now under an upgraded fire alert one day after the state forestry commission elevated its previous fire danger advisory, in the process making unauthorized outdoor burning illegal without a permit for the duration of the alert.

Citing “the current drought situation, continued lack of precipitation, and high probability of fuel ignition,” the commission said the new restrictions  come in response to the breakout of 182 wildfires across Alabama over the past week, which have burned approximately 2,608 acres. 

Cullman Emergency Management Agency director Phyllis Little said Wednesday the Cullman area has felt the effects of the recent dry spell.  

“It seems to be picking up to the point that we’re having about one fire every day,” she said. 

“We had fires along the Interstate on Sunday afternoon, and also a multi-response fire yesterday in the Jones Chapel – Blair – Battleground area. Then, just today, we had a mobile home on fire in the Vinemont area, and it got out of control and went into the woods.”

Alabama has seen some significant wildfires in recent days, including a 470-acre fire in Talladega County, a 391-acre fire in DeKalb County, and “several which were over 100 acres,” according to the forestry commission. 

Little said the Cullman area still isn’t in a drought, as the dry conditions reflect a lack of moisture in the atmosphere and at ground level, where parched vegetation makes for rapid-spreading wildfire fodder. But underground, water table levels continue to hold steady.

“Looking at the drought monitor, we’re showing extremely dry conditions in the area up around Battleground mountain, but we’re not in a drought situation yet,” she said. “We’ve still got ground water; it’s just that everything we’ve got above ground is dry as a bone. In those conditions, it doesn’t take much for a little fire to get out of control pretty quickly.”

Until the ban lifts, the only legal outdoor burning permitted on private property is that approved on a case-by-case basis through a permit obtainable at the discretion of the State Forester. Anyone who burns a field, grassland, or woodland without a burn permit may be subject to prosecution for committing a Class B misdemeanor.

In addition to holding off on outdoor burns, Little advised motorists not to throw cigarette butts from their car windows, and to refrain from idling their cars on grassy areas, where heated mufflers can start fires. 

“People don’t think about it, but we get those fires in the medians and along the interstate sometimes because people have thrown out a cigarette, or had to pull off the road for some reason and underside of their car is so hot, it catches the grass on fire. In general, just use common sense while the new restriction is in place, and hopefully we’ll eventually see some rain.”

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 145.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.