By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – Seven more counties, mostly in west Alabama, were placed under a drought emergency or no burn order Friday - bringing the total number to 40.
The action was taken after the latest federal Drought Monitor Report showed drought conditions have expanded to 43 percent of the state.
State Forester Linda Casey said the new counties are: Chilton, Choctaw, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Perry and Sumter.
The forestry commission says conditions are ripe in the counties for catastrophic wildfires. Much of Alabama, according to experts, are in the D-4, or exceptional drought level.
Other counties under the 'No Burn' decree include: Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Fayette, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Marion, Morgan, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)