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Protecting Alabama's rural areas from wildfire is the number one
priority of the Alabama Forestry Commission. Wildfires burn thousands of acres of forestland in our state every year.
But through efforts of the Forestry Commission, volunteer fire departments and other cooperators, those wildfires
are decreasing. The average size wildfire has steadily decreased during the most
recent l0-year period.
The Forestry Commission has a modern, aggressive detection system that allows us to discover and suppress wildfires in the most efficient
way possible.
A fleet of airplanes regularly patrols over the forest and
looks for wildfires. In addition, the public can report wildfires 24 hours a day through a toll-free telephone system. When a wildfire is
reported, a dispatch center sends Forestry Commission crews, volunteer fire departments and other cooperators as needed to suppress it.
Volunteer fire departments are an essential part of the team when it comes to suppressing wildfires. The Forestry Commission works
to help establish, train and maintain rural community fire departments in every county. This strong partnership of
government and volunteer agencies working together provides cost-efficient,
effective service. Money appropriated by the Alabama Legislature is distributed by the Forestry Commission each year to more than
1000 volunteer fire departments.
Although most people don't realize it, insects and diseases harm the forest even more than wildfires. In fact, they destroy 43 times more trees than wildfires. Pine bark beetles are the
most destructive forest insects in the South. The Southern pine beetle is the most common bark beetle found in Alabama. The same airplanes used to detect forest fires are used by the
Forestry Commission to locate areas where the Southern pine
beetle is causing damage. The landowner is then notified and advised on how to control the infestation.
Alabama participates in the USDA Forest Service's Forest Health Monitoring Program on an annual basis.
A team of foresters examines over 200 sites every year to monitor the trees and record their health status. The monitoring program has
shown that Alabama's forests are quite healthy, with only a few areas of
concern.
Fire prevention is an important aspect of Forestry Commission operations. A good fire
prevention program makes citizens aware of fire hazards and leads to a reduction in the number of wildfires in the state. A part of fire
prevention is the wildfire investigation/enforcement program. 
Many Forestry Commission personnel are trained law
enforcement officers who investigate cases of arson and timber theft. Each incident
is investigated to determine its cause, leading to appropriate enforcement action against the responsible party.
Forestry Commission personnel are some of the first people
called on for assistance in a natural disaster. Our equipment is frequently used to clear debris from roads in emergency situations like
hurricanes, ice storms and tornadoes. Law enforcement officers in the Forestry Commission help protect property and restore order during
these types of situations. In addition, our aircraft are used to help officials
assess damages from the air.
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