A fire estimated at 200 acres was reported in southern Shelby County near the Bibb County line. The Alabama Forestry Commission believed it was an allowed prescribed burn, and winds were pushing smoke north toward Pelham.
A fire was reported in southern Shelby County, near the Bibb County border, according to a report from WBRC. The Pelham Fire Department put the size of the blaze at roughly 200 acres. The Alabama Forestry Commission believed it was an allowed prescribed burn. Winds were pushing the smoke north toward Pelham.
An Earlier Fire in Oak Mountain State Park
In late September, a 250-acre wildfire burned at nearby Oak Mountain State Park, and Alabama Forestry Commission crews had reached 50 percent containment by September 30, according to statements relayed by WBRC.
By late May, the commission had already contained over 1,700 wildfires that burned more than 37,000 acres since October 2025, outpacing the prior year's total of roughly 34,000 acres, the Alabama Farmers Federation reported.
Burn Ban Still in Effect Through October
Shelby County currently falls under a seasonal outdoor burning prohibition that runs from May 1 through October 31 under Alabama Department of Environmental Management rules, as outlined by the Cahaba Valley Fire District. The ban, which covers 12 counties total, is designed to control air quality and fire hazards during the driest stretch of the year, when fallen leaves and parched vegetation turn into ready fuel.
Burning permits may be restricted amid weather concerns. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index uses a 0-to-800 scale.
Health officials recommend that residents in the path of wildfire smoke take precautions as conditions warrant. The American Lung Association advises people to stay indoors and limit physical exertion when air quality indices exceed 150.
It remains unclear whether local fire departments and state forestry crews have established containment lines on the burn near the Bibb County line, or whether officials plan to issue a formal air quality advisory for Pelham and northern Shelby County.
