With spring off to an early start in parts of the state that have recently experienced warm, windy conditions, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is urging residents to be mindful of the increased risk of wildfires.
A helicopter drops water on a large brush fire near Lower Saucon Road and Kefallonia Drive in eastern Lower Saucon Township in April 2015. (FILE PHOTO)
According to DCNR officials, 99 percent of all wildfires in Pennsylvania are caused by people. The greatest threat of wildfires is during the spring months of March, April and May, as well as the autumn months of October and November. That’s when dry conditions, including low relative humidity–which are essential for wildfires to spread rapidly–can increase the danger. Windy weather can further spread wildfires out of control.
According to the DCNR, thousands of acres of state and private woodlands are scorched by wildfires each year. Last year, Pennsylvania recorded more than 1,900 wildfires, which in total burned 9,186 acres, and caused 15 injuries and three deaths. Summer wildfires that burned out of control across Canada in 2023 also caused a memorable smog cloud that blanketed much of the eastern U.S. and triggered air quality warnings.
“We know that a simple act of carelessness when lighting a camp or bonfire could prove disastrous among tinder-dry conditions in some of our forests,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said Thursday. “We encourage Pennsylvanians to be cautious when lighting fires during these conditions to protect lives, wildlife habitats and our natural resources.”
DCNR is urging residents to take precautions to prevent wildfires. Such precautions include adhering to burn bans if they are in place, keeping fires small and attended, and practicing fire safety whenever lighting fires, fireworks or conducting backyard burning.
Fires should not be lit on Red Flag Warning days. Red Flag warnings are included in local weather forecasts, which is why residents should check the weather forecast before lighting a fire.
For more information on how to prevent wildfires, visit the DCNR website.
This local news story was reported with generative AI assistance.
