The National Weather Serivce has issued a warning for increased fire danger in Floyd County and Southwestenr Virginia through 7 pm Friday.

The warning:

..INCREASED FIRE DANGER THIS AFTERNOON FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA… Winds will be gusty this afternoon. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph, with gusts 20 mph can be expected. This combined with humidity values dropping into the 20 to 30 percent range will increase the risk for wildfire ignition and spread. Residents are urged to exercise caution if handling any potential ignition source, including machinery, cigarettes, and matches. Be sure to properly discard all smoking materials. Any dry grasses, dead leaves, and other tree litter that ignite will have the potential to spread fire quickly.

–National Weather Service, Blacksburg, VA