With the growing impact of climate change, understanding how to prepare for wildfires has become more relevant in Virginia, according to the USDA Forest Service.
A team from the forest service reports they were assigned to a complex, or group of wildfires, in western Virginia earlier this year. The team heard over and over that “people here just aren’t used to this kind of thing.” However, there had been a wildfire within 100 miles last fall.
More and more often, wildfires are happening in places where they historically have not been common.
This month is recognized as National Wildfire Awareness Month, and the service is recommending that Virginians get prepared.
The Forest Service reminds Virginians that when you change your clock each year, you should also change batteries in smoke detectors.
Breaking it down: Risk of wildfires
To find the risk of wildfires in your community, visit wildfirerisk.org
- Augusta County: High risk of wildfire—higher than 80 percent of counties in the U.S.
- Rockingham County: High risk of wildfire—higher than 76 percent of counties in the U.S.
- Waynesboro: Medium risk of wildfire—higher than 64 percent of communities in the U.S.
- Staunton: Medium risk of wildfire—higher than 57 percent of counties in the U.S.
- Harrisonburg: Medium risk of wildfire—higher than 48 percent of counties in the U.S.
- Charlottesville: Low risk of wildfire—lower than 73 percent of counties in the U.S.
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Crystal Graham
