By Mary Catherine Brooks, The Register-Herald/Wyoming County Report
BECKLEY, W.Va. — Despite the rain predicted this week, drought conditions combined with hunters and others entering the woods are still fueling conditions for dangerous wildfires across the state, according to Gov. Jim justice.
“The magnitude of this drought is off the charts,” Justice said while unveiling new fire equipment to be used by the West Virginia Division of Forestry during bi-annual fire training at Twin Falls Resort State Park Monday morning. “I can’t think of a time that it’s been this dry and this tough and absolutely how dangerous it is right now …,” the governor emphasized. “All it’s got to do is be a little tough for two or three more weeks and we’re going to be in big trouble.”
As of Saturday, the Beckley station for Accuweather had reported a total of 25.36 inches of precipitation for the year, about eight inches shy of the average total of 33.02 inches for that date. Those dry conditions are found throughout much of West Virginia.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Wyoming County just experienced its sixth driest August on record and is in the midst of the 12th driest year to date over the past 130 years with a rainfall total 6.88 inches below normal. NOAA also says that nearly 66 percent of the county is in a severe drought and nearly 34 percent is experiencing extreme drought conditions. The conditions were not lost on Justice.
“We could awaken to a tragedy like we can’t imagine in this state,” the governor said.
