BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — Rainfall over the weekend quieted multiple forest fires across the county that last week prompted Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty to sign an executive order Thursday prohibiting all open burning until further notice.

Forest fires burned early in the week in Beauty, on Route 645 at Milo and Spence Branch in Tomahawk.

The previous week, fires burned in Warfield and Beauty endangering homes on Collins Creek.

Lafferty lifted the burn ban Monday.

“The rainfall that we have received over the last few days was sufficient to help extinguish wildfires that were ongoing and lessen the chances of more wildfires occurring,” the judge said in Monday’s order. “Residents will still be responsible for adhering to state regulations restricting burning during the fall season.”

The fall wildfire season prohibits burning from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and within 150 feet of woodland or brushland.