With resources tighter all around, local and state firefighting agencies already have their hands full. That is why it is essential West Virginia residents follow the burning restrictions of the spring fire season, which kicked off March 1.

Due to the conditions at this time of year, outdoor burning must be confined to 5 p.m. to 7 a.m., with fires set during that time put out before 7 a.m.

Other rules include ensuring all fires have a 10-feet wide safety strip cleared of burnable materials. All fires must be attended until fully extinguished.

Only leaves, brush and yard clippings may be burned. Spark-throwing machinery on land subject to fire must have an adequate spark arrestor. And inflammable waste disposal areas must annually remove all grass, brush, debris and other inflammable material adjacent to disposal areas to provide adequate protection, preventing the escape of fire to adjacent lands.

All it takes is a breeze, or a human not paying attention. Recent local brush fires prove it didn’t take long at all for some fuels to dry out. And the wind speeds over the past several weeks could quickly turn a small fire into a real problem.

According to the state Division of Forestry, since Jan. 1 the agency has responded to 29 fires that have burned 161.6 acres.

“Our fire laws protect one of West Virginia’s most valuable resources, our forests,” said Jeremy Jones, state forester and director of the division. “We urge everyone who decides to burn anything outside to be completely familiar with the guidelines available on our website. It doesn’t take long for our fuels to dry out and fires to escape easily during the spring months.”

We are entering a season when many of us are ready to clean up our property for the spring and summer, and for some, that will involve controlled burning of all that yard waste.

Be smart, follow the rules (wvforestry.com/fire-laws) and do the job right.

Don’t be the reason lives and property are put at risk.