At the Oct. 8 regular meeting of the Cumberland County Board of Supervisors, the Board conceded that abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions throughout Cumberland County has created an extraordinary fire hazard. Therefore, the Board is asking residents to participate in a voluntary burn ban effective immediately and until further notice.

This burn ban discourages all open-air fires and outdoor burning. According to the United States Drought Monitor provided by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the entirety of Cumberland County is encompassed in a moderate drought designation, with at least 60% of the northern parts of the county receiving a severe drought designation. The Board of Supervisors is requesting that the Governor of Virginia declare Cumberland County as an agricultural disaster area due to the extremely dry conditions and little, if any, expected rainfall in the near future.