April Recap

April was another steady month for fire calls with 35 total calls. Traditionally, spring is known as brush fire season due to dry vegetation and windy days. Long time members share stories of the past when there were days that they responded to one brush fire right after another. The area was more rural back then.  While nothing like the past, this spring has been an active brush fire season with multiple responses in Pine and neighboring jurisdictions since March. Two fast moving brush fires occurred in Pine and Adams Townships in April, requiring multiple resources.  Most of the brush fires that we’ve responded to have been caused by open burning like the fires of the past. However, since much of the land was open, many of the fires of the past were in grassy fields that were easily accessed by brush trucks. Since we have more housing developments that are built in wooded areas, brush fires are a little tougher to access.

Everyone can do their part to help prevent brush fires. First, remember that open burning is limited to small recreational fires in Allegheny County. Burning piles of brush and other materials like construction was is prohibited. If you do have a permitted fire, avoid burning on days that are breezy and especially on days with high wind warnings. Do not leave your fire unattended, and make sure to have a means to extinguish the fire nearby.

Visit https://smokeybear.com/en/prevention-how-tos for more information on how to prevent outdoor fires.