West Virginia forestry officials are asking landowners to use caution when burning downed limbs and other outdoor debris left from winter storms.

The state's spring forest fire season begins Monday and runs through May 31.

Outdoor burning during the period is prohibited from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., unless there's at least an inch of snow on the ground.

Division of Forestry assistant forester Ben Webster says forest fires aren't expected to be an immediate problem because many parts of the state are still covered with snow.

But winter storms that have pounded the state since December have downed trees and limbs. Webster says that could be a problem as landowners burn the debris.

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