With spring comes wildfire concerns

Despite March dropping in like a lion, the hope for signs of Spring brings with it the knowledge that wildfire risk reaches a peak at the same time.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the agency is responsible for 17 million acres of public and private wildlands in the Commonwealth. The highest danger for wildfires is in the spring during March, April and May and the fall months of October and November. Statistics show that 98 percent of wildfires in Pennsylvania are started by people, which makes this danger manageable with efforts at prevention and preparedness.

When the warmer weather hits, the desire to spring clean often extends to the yard.

“A lot of people are open-burning to clean yards, and it causes wildfires,” said Corydon Township Fire Chief Matt Cobb. “Never leave a fire unattended, whether it is a campfire or one near the home for clearing debris.”

Cobb explained a sudden windshift can easily spread a fire that is not watched closely.

“Be careful with your outside burn. Debris burning is usually the leading cause of wildfires,” Bradford Township Volunteer Fire Chief Dan Burkhouse explained.

While debris burning is the most common cause of wildfires, other human activity that can lead to a wildfire include equipment use, smoking, campfires and arson.

Factors that increase the likelihood of a wildfire include fuel source, dry conditions, ignition source, strong winds and inattention to a fire that was set for an intended purpose.

At this point in the year, it is hard to say how the spring will look in terms of dry conditions or wind patterns. Locals may be hoping for spring sometime soon, but the warmer weather, as well as the prediction of whether the upcoming season will bring ideal conditions for wildfires, is still out of reach.

“A couple weeks ago, it looked like active spring, but with the amount of snow now, it is too early to say,” said Burkhouse. “Before foliage comes out is the time when we are concerned. The foliage isn’t out, and that allows the ground to lose all moisture. Typically the air humidity is a lot lower at that time. A front comes through, you get strong wind and low humidity — those are big factors that make fire danger increase.”

In addition to weather factors, the increased number of homes that are built in forests and less developed areas mean a better chance of wildfires.

According to the DCNR, firefighters call the area where homes and development meet and intermingle with undeveloped wildland the “wildland-urban interface.” Pennsylvania has a higher percentage of homes in the wildland-urban interface than any other state in the nation.

For these homes, the DCNR has released recommendations for preparing and protecting your home from a potential forest fire.

The DCNR recommends keeping the chimney of your home clean and installing a spark arrester, keeping 100 feet of garden hose attached to your home and fire tools available within 30 feet of the home — such as a shovel, rake and ladder stored in a shed near the residence. Other recommendations are to keep the area 30 feet around the home clear of all but scattered trees, keep the grass green and mowed 100 feet beyond the residence and thin and prune coniferous trees up to a 75-foot radius from the home in all directions.

Meanwhile, it is important to keep the driveway accessible for fire trucks, keep wood piles 25 feet from structures and minimize the amount of burnables from underneath or around all structures on the property.

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