Fire departments, officials urging residents not to burn
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The warm, sunny, breezy, precipitation-free weather of the last week or so has been a boon to Southwest Pennsylvania residents worn out by week after week of winter weather.
But the downside to this foretaste of spring weather has been brush fires, and officials are urging residents not to burn anything outdoors until conditions improve.
“We’ve been trying to tell people, don’t do it,” said Robert Whiten Jr., chief of the Charleroi Fire Department.
Fire chiefs from several departments in Washington County, including Canonsburg, North Strabane, South Strabane and the City of Washington, are urging residents to not burn anything outside when it is dry and breezy. They point out that those are the ideal conditions for fires to spread quickly and become uncontrollable.
Though the Monessen Volunteer Fire Department has not yet had to respond to any brush fires, Chief Delmar Hepple said a resident who was burning debris outside this week was told by city police to put it out, and they were warned about the dangers outdoor burning poses.
Hepple noted that “the houses are so close together” in Monessen if a fire is out of control, it could endanger several properties.
In Fayette County, Dunbar, Connellsville and North Union townships are among the communities that have put burn bans into effect. A countywide ban has not yet been put in place, but if one is, it wouldn’t be unprecedented – in November, a ban was instituted as a result of drought conditions. Those conditions have persisted, according to A.J. Boni, who is a supervisor in Perry Township, as well as its fire chief.
“We’ve been pleading and begging for people not to burn,” Boni said. “We didn’t recuperate (from the drought conditions) during the winter like we’d hoped.”
The greatest danger of wildfires in Pennsylvania happens between March and May and in October and November, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources. The department also estimates that 99% of all wildfires are caused by people. Dry grass and low humidity mixed with strong spring winds set the stage for fires.
“This is the season for it,” said Mike Riggen, the first assistant chief of the Carmichaels-Cumberland Volunteer Fire Co., in Greene County.
Officials urge residents to avoid burning brush, leaves and debris for the time being, get rid of cigarette butts in designated containers and not on the ground or in dry grass, keep grills away from dry grass and make sure embers and ashes are extinguished.
Also, people should be careful about using spark-generating machinery, such as chainsaws or welding equipment when outside, and particularly near dry vegetation.
There is the prospect of relief in sight, though – rain is forecast for Saturday and Sunday.
“Thank God,” Whiten said.