Fire weather watch issued for multiple counties, including Bladen

BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for our area tomorrow due to expected gusty winds and dry conditions.

In Bladen County, the Fire Marshal reported more than 10 fires broke out yesterday after open burns were left unattended. We spoke with Bladen County Fire Marshal Kenneth Clark about the increased demand for fire response.

Clark emphasized that the combination of windy and dry conditions makes it especially dangerous to burn right now.

One of the fires yesterday started when a burn barrel fire spread uncontrollably, causing multiple structures to catch fire.

“Everybody said that once I lit the match, or once I lit it, that’s when the wind picked up. The wind played a big part in it…” Clark explained.

Clark also shared that responders were still handling calls related to burning in these conditions well into the night, up until 1:30 this morning.