With the threat of brush fires very high, Lower Saucon Township residents are being asked not to burn anything outside Wednesday.
Police made that request in an email alert about a Red Flag Warning the National Weather Service has issued for the area until 8 p.m. due to the fire danger.
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions exist or will occur shortly due to a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels on the ground. Under these conditions fires may quickly grow out of control and become difficult to contain.
The forecast for eastern Pennsylvania Wednesday is for winds of 10 to 15 mph with gusts of up to 30 mph, relative humidity around 25 percent and high temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s.
“Critical fire weather conditions are expected,” the National Weather Service said in its statement about the Red Flag Warning, which covers Northampton, Lehigh, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, Berks, Carbon and Monroe counties, along with Philadelphia.
As of 11 a.m., the temperature in Allentown was 72 degrees, with relative humidity at 31 percent and winds gusting to 21 mph.
Conditions beneficial for the spread of wildfires may persist through Saturday, when relief in the form of rain is expected to arrive, according to the latest National Weather Service forecast for the Lehigh Valley.
In the meantime, in addition to Pennsylvania, wildfires are also threatening lives and property in nearby states.
WILDFIRE UPDATE: Manchester Township – Jimmy’s Waterhole Fire
— New Jersey Forest Fire Service (@njdepforestfire) April 12, 2023
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has made substantial progress in containing a wildfire in Manchester Township on federal, state and private property which has reached 3,859 acres in size and is 50% contained. pic.twitter.com/zr2Q1C7m2f
In New Jersey, a wildfire in Ocean County grew to nearly 4,000 acres in size and prompted resident evacuations in Manchester Township.
As of late Wednesday morning, New Jersey state fire officials said the fire on federal, state and private property was 50 percent contained.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service tweeted that the earlier evacuation order had been lifted, however some roads in the area remained closed due to the fire.
