The state Game Commission is planning several prescribed burns this spring on State Game Lands in the southeast portion of the state, including about 1,000 acres in Schuylkill County.
Between March 30 through June 30, weather and conditions permitting, prescribed burns are scheduled for 623 acres at Bear Creek, Wayne Township; 248 acres at Wolf Mill, Blythe Township; and 138 acres at Baer Rocks, West Penn Township. There are also several prescribed burns planned for Dauphin, Lebanon and York counties.
There were 28 brush fires throughout Schuylkill County in March, John Matz, county emergency management coordinator, said Friday. There were four in February and five in January, he said.
Matz said that fire chiefs have already voiced their support for another burn ban this year. The support of at least 10 fire chiefs is required by law, Matz said. Following the recommendation from the district forester with the support of fire chiefs, Matz presents the ban to the county commissioners for approval. A burn ban lasts for 30 days unless extended.
“Once the trees start to green up, the moisture is held much better in the ground then it is not much of a problem,” Matz said.
If the county commissioners approve a ban this year, it will be the fifth year in a row that a burn ban was enacted and the sixth in seven years.
Burn bans have been enacted around this time of the year in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. It is enforced by state and local police officers and officials at the state Bureau of Forestry.
Under the ban, residents are forbidden from any outdoor burning of items, such as garbage, leaves, grass, twigs, litter and paper. Grilling in proper containers is still permitted, but the ban forbids lighting fires in outdoor burn barrels or fire rings.
Residents violating the ban may face fines of $100 for their first offense, $200 for the second and $300 for each additional violation. They are also responsible for the cost of extinguishing any fire they cause.
Businesses may request an exemption from the burn ban by writing a letter detailing the adverse economic effects of the ban to SCEMA for review and consideration.
Matz said that burn bans ease the workload for volunteer firefighters.
“We are also protecting property,” Matz said. “We rely heavily on surface water. A fire in the watershed could have devastating effects on surface water.”
Pennsylvania law allows open burning of “domestic refuse” as long as the fire is on the property of a structure occupied solely as a residence by two families or fewer and when the refuse results from the normal occupancy of the structure. “Domestic refuse” does not include such items as demolition waste, insulation, shingles, treated wood, paint, painted or stained objects or furniture, tires, mattresses, box springs, metal, insulating coating on wire, television sets and appliances, automobiles, automotive parts, batteries, PVC products, waste oil and other petroleum products.
According to Randall Bauman, forester for the southeast region, a prescribed burn is designed to improve forest and wildlife habitat.
“The problem is that in a number of these locations, the oak seedlings are being outcompeted by other tree species, such as birch, maple and tulip poplar,” Bauman said. “The oak seedlings will eventually die out and be replaced, changing the composition of the forest. The loss of the oak seedlings is a problem because oak trees are extremely valuable to wildlife.”
Through the use of a prescribed burn, competing species will be reduced and the growth of the oak seedlings will be promoted. This will allow oak to remain the dominant species as this forest grows.
The entire operation is overseen by a “burn boss” with extensive training and experience.
“During the day of the prescribed burn, access to the site will be restricted and only people directly associated with the burn will be allowed access at or near the site,” Bauman said. “Trained staff will be on hand with numerous pieces of fire equipment and water resources. All necessary local fire and emergency personnel will be notified in advance.
“Prior to the start of the prescribed burn, a small, easily extinguished ‘test’ burn will be conducted so that the burn boss can check the fire behavior and smoke dispersion patterns for the day,” Bauman said. “If the test fire burns within the pre-determined parameters, the prescribed burn will be allowed to continue. If it does not burn within those parameters, it will be called off for the day.”
For more information about the specific management details, location and burn window status for each prescribed burn, visit the “Prescribed Fire” link on the Game Commission’s website at www.pgc.state.pa.us.