As we find ourselves steeped in the holiday season, filled with parties and family gatherings and other generally indoor festivities, it is important for us all to remember that there still lurks a serious danger outside.

Dry leaves and dry limbs.

Yes, it’s rained recently, but this region of the state is still under drought conditions.

One result of that drought is that the ban of controlled burns is still in effect. Gov. Timothy Kaine announced last week that the statewide ban was being lifted. But that announcement

included a clause: Bans enacted by local governments supercede the state’s bans.

In our case, both Southampton and Isle of Wight counties maintain a ban on outdoor burning until those boards of supervisors lift such a ban.

Such action has not been taken.

Outdoor controlled burns within the City of Franklin are not permitted, regardless of the time of the year or the condition of the grass and trees.

When the state lifted its ban last week, and that news was spread around the commonwealth, many folks who discard their trash or yard waste by burning it assumed it was legally safe to return to that time-honed practice. It is not. It’s one of those situations where being safer is better than being sorry.