February is fire season in southeastern North Carolina, and this year is off to a busy start.

According to records at the Bladen County Communications office, firefighters and the N.C. Forest Service had responded to 24 wildlands fires as of Monday.

The term wildlands fire refers to brush or forest fires that are reported in primarily rural areas.

Some of the fires are caused by controlled burns that get out of hand. A debris fire threatened several structures off N.C. 87 West last week, and a similar fire off Center Road was barely contained this weekend.

Burning permits are required for some types of debris fires, and the permit holder is required to be nearby with adequate firefighting equipment to avoid unwanted burning.

Late winter is a popular time of the year for burning because of weather conditions and low humidity. Foresters warn sudden strong winds can develop, and a shift in wind direction can cause a fire to quickly get out of hand.

Rangers from the N.C. Forest Service office at Jones Lake are available for consultation before any burn. Call 588-4861 for more information.

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