Thursday is the first day of spring and many of our area municipalities have already declared a ban on open burning.  With good reason, I might add.

            The ground is very dry. In some areas, the ground was dry at levels of eight inches deep.  The low humidity and high winds we've faced lately have added to the risk of a disaster.  And, we have experienced drought conditions of varying levels over the past year. 

            Some folks say climate change is contributing to the fire risks and some of our past land and fire management practices have added to the problem.

            Growing populations moving into and expanding the wildland-urban interface, and a lack of funding to support wildfire resilience all play a part.  That is especially true in our own local communities.

            According to an article published in USA Today, the Northeast experiences wildfires every fall season, and the majority of blazes are attributed to human causes such as campfires, burning debris and cigarettes. However, what has meteorologists and state officials especially concerned is a record-setting dry spell in the Northeast in 2024 that is fueling a sharp rise in wildfires and their explosive growth.

            Most of the fires were the result of historically dry conditions across Pennsylvania and adjoining states.

            This is continuing today.

            We also need to be honest and admit that many of our local field and brush fires were caused by people carelessly burning during an announced burn ban in their municipality, burning too close to a structure, failing to provide adequate fire protection while they were burning, and leaving an open burn unattended.

            The members of the local volunteer fire companies were already overworked in 2024.  Anyone who monitors those types of events on their scanners can hear the increase in the sheer number of fires, the severity of the calls, and the number of companies called to extinguish the blaze and protect the surroundings.

            Every time I hear the volunteers dispatched to fight a field or brush fire I wonder if the property owner is an active contributor to the local fire company. 

            I wonder how many times the originator of a careless, or unlawful, fire that created dangerous conditions in our neighborhoods, was fined.

            That penalty money should go into a separate fund and be paid directly to the fire company towards their budget.

            Things may start to turn green soon but the high risk of bush and field fires still exists.

            Obey the burn bans, act responsibly, and give the volunteer fire companies a break.