NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — With the drought in play across Middle Tennessee, several cities are placing burn bans into effect.
What does that mean?
That means not setting fire to brush or ditches and includes:
- Ditch banks
- Construction debris
- Fields, grassland
- Gardens
- Wooded areas
- Campfires, cooking fires
- Burn barrels.
Why is it like this?
Middle Tennessee is very dry right with heat in the triple digits and very little rainfall.
Burn bans are inspired by:
- Dry Conditions: Extended periods of low precipitation or drought can lead to dry vegetation, making it more susceptible to ignition and rapid fire spread.
- High Winds: Strong winds can quickly spread fires, making it challenging to control and contain them. Even a small, controlled burn can escalate into a larger and more dangerous fire under windy conditions.
- Low Humidity: Dry air with low humidity levels can contribute to the desiccation of vegetation, making it more susceptible to ignition.
- Wildfire Threat: If there is an elevated risk of wildfires in the area, authorities may impose burn bans as a preventive measure to reduce the likelihood of accidental fires that could escalate into major wildfires. A small wildfire is burning the Great Smoky Mountains right now.
- Air Quality Concerns: Burning certain materials can release pollutants into the air, affecting air quality. During periods of poor air quality, burn bans may be enacted to protect public health. There have been air quality alerts the last several days.
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Forrest Sanders recently introduced us to a Nashville hero named Eudora Boxley. She was the first black woman to have a cooking show on TV in Nashville. Her grandson was precious describing Eudora and how she raised him and how proud he and the family were of her impact not only on WLAC but on a city during the turbulent Civil Rights Era. A woman who did extraordinary things at a time when history did not expect her to.
-Amy Watson
