West Virginia Preps

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WELCH, W.Va. (AP) - State prison inmates are being trained to
fight forest fires in preparation for the upcoming fire season.
More than 100 low-risk inmates are undergoing both classroom and
hands-on training.
"They are all properly classified, have outside work
clearances, and will be closely supervised," said Secretary Joe
Martin of the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. "I
think it will be a good thing for the state's forests, and a good
thing for the inmates, too."
Last year, forest fires scorched more than 75,000 acres of West
Virginia woodlands, causing an estimated $22 million in damages.
Most of the fires take place in southern West Virginia.
To qualify for the program, the prisoners must be within 12
months of release and have no criminal history involving violent
behavior or arson.
Twenty-seven inmates from the McDowell County Correctional
Center recently completed classroom and outdoor training near
Welch. Inmates at the Huttonsville and Beckley correctional centers
have received classroom training. The program will soon be extended
to prisoners at the St. Marys and Pruntytown correctional centers.
The state Division of Forestry plans to hold training sessions
twice a year to keep a pool of inmate firefighters available as
previously trained prisoners are released or reclassified.
Inmates are expected to collect $1 per hour for work on the fire
lines, as well as a few good marks.
"I would think the parole board would take their firefighting
work into account," said Bill Bowman, McDowell County Correctional
Center administrator.
Officials agree their skills will be needed if the dry weather
continues.
"If it stays dry like this, we may need to put them to work
pretty soon," said District Forest Ranger Robert Dameron. "This
training may be happening just in time."
Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass last week asked the
West Virginia Farm Service Agency to survey drought conditions
across the state. Douglass said many of the state's farmers have
complained their wells and springs are drying up.


(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press

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Forestry officials ask public to halt outdoor burning

(Charleston-AP) -- Forestry officials have asked West Virginians
to halt all outdoor burning because weekend rainfall in many areas
was not enough to reduce the threat of forest fires.
Coy Mullins, assistant state forester, stresses that today's
move is a request and not a ban on outdoor burning.
He says he's sure West Virginia citizens will recognize the
threat to the forests and act accordingly.
Since July First, nearly 100 fires have burned about 300 acres.
Mullins says in recent weeks, the number of fires sparked by
equipment, railroads and all-terrain vehicles has increased due to
dry weather.
Only the governor can issue a statewide burning ban. But the
Division of Forestry makes the recommendation.
The agency will begin its restricted burning period October
First, when outdoor burning is prohibited between 7 a-m and 4 p-m.


(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Outdoor burning restrictions go into
effect Tuesday as West Virginia begins its annual fall fire season.
The Division of Forestry says burning is only permitted between
4 p.m. and 7 a.m. between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.
Forestry officials say evening is the best time to burn because
temperatures and wind speeds are lower and humidity is higher.
The burning of household trash and other solid waste is
prohibited. This includes burning debris in barrels and open pits.
Only brush, leaves, grass, stubble, stumps and other vegetative
matter can be burned.
If residents must burn, the division says the following rules
should be followed:
-Check with local city officials for special burning
restrictions.
-Always have at least a 10-foot safety strip around the fire.
-Never burn on windy days.
-Always have something handy to suppress the fire.
-Start brush fires small and add remaining material slowly.
-Never leave a fire unattended.
Dry conditions this summer have already allowed 113 fires to
burn 450 acres since July 1. Between July and December last year,
879 fires burned 79,376 acres.
Although West Virginia has received several inches of rain in
the past week, the National Weather Service's Web site indicates
that several areas of the state are still experiencing a rainfall
shortage.

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press