With the warmer temperatures Marion County has seen throughout this winter and lack of precipitation, the county is at a high risk for potential fire related incidents.

Knoxville Fire and Rescue Chief Jim Mitchell tells KNIA/KRLS News he understands with the lack of snow and the amount of leftover foliage from the fall, mixed with the warmer temperatures it can seem like a great time to burn. Mitchell recommends getting a hold of your local authorities before you burn to make sure it is a good time to burn. Mitchell also says if you plan to burn to use caution, understand your surroundings and always have a way to extinguish the fire. If you do a controlled burn, please call the Marion County Sheriff’s office at 828-2220 to notify them so that fire trucks are not deployed when not needed.