By Alabama Public Radio
Tuscaloosa, AL – Showers that briefly swept across the state yesterday and last night were a welcome sign to emergency workers who have been battling hundreds of wildfire in recent days. Over the weekend, firefighters responded to 260 fires across the state. The fires burned more than 3000 acres, and destroyed five homes, 38 vehicles, and 21 other structures. Firefighters saved 334 homes from being damaged or destroyed.
Alabama Forestry Commission officials say the heaviest fires were in the northeastern and southwestern parts of the state. Forestrey officials have been fighting the fires amid a 10-percent cut in personnel ... those job cuts came following a decrease in state funding.