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Warmer spring weather might have area residents inclined to have a campfire or barbeque.
But even with recent precipitation, officials say to be cautious, noting that the local fire danger is still high.
"The fire danger is above normal right now, even though we've had some precipitation," said Bob Wetzel, district forester for the Gallitzin State Forest. "We've had some rain, but we're not in the clear yet."
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the greatest risk of wildfires is in March, April and May because of dry conditions.
Tim Yeager, assistant park manager at Prince Gallitzin State Park in Patton, said fires can progress rapidly in the spring due to windy and dry conditions.
Wildfires on campgrounds can spark from campfires or charcoal grills, Yeager said.
"It doesn't take much for a fire to spread," Yeager said.
State officials noted wildfire danger is normally higher in the spring before the trees leaf out, and critical conditions can develop almost overnight in many forested areas of Pennsylvania.
"Amid the pandemic, we know so many are seeking outdoor pursuits. Fishing, spring turkey hunting and hiking soon will be popular," said Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. "With dry spring conditions, it takes only a careless moment to ignite a devastating forest fire. We know outdoor burning is the leading cause of wildfires throughout the state and more than 99 percent of Pennsylvania wildfires are caused by people."
Less than 1% of wildfires are due to natural causes. Debris burning is the leading cause of wildfires.
"Fires can start from power line failures, sparks from railroads or on the rare occasion, lightning strikes," Wetzel said. "But in almost every scenario, it's a man-made fire. Things are starting to green up, but there are still a lot of areas that have brown dead grass and leaves from last year. It doesn't take much sunlight and wind to dry those one-hour fine fuels out. If you're burning those and you're not careful, they can take off."
One of the many reasons fires escalate is because the fire is not tended to, Wetzel said. Wetzel said that after lighting a fire, people will walk away and not keep a close eye on the fire.
If the fire gets out of hand, Wetzel said it is typically too late to control it.
"Next thing you know, you look outside the window and the woods are on fire," Wetzel said.
In addition to not tending the fire, Yeager said individuals often burn more than the fire ring can hold.
Yeager said that while management at Prince Gallitzin State Park works diligently to clean the campground up, dry and dead leaves can still remain.
Leaf litter that surrounds a fire pit can be especially dangerous, and Yeager said to make sure the area surrounding the fire is clear.
Wetzel added to never burn near a wooded area.
"We strongly encourage campers to carry a leaf rake around with them," Yeager said. "Clearing the leaves from inside the fire pit and around it can go a long way from preventing fires."
"You have to use common sense when burning," Yeager said. "If it's dry and windy out, maybe hold off and wait to start the fire."
The DCNR also recommends keeping a garden hose nearby in case of emergencies.
With a few small steps, officials said forest fires can be easily prevented.
"If you're going to burn, please be smart about it," Wetzel said.
To assist the public with easy access to information, the DCNR has added new maps to the wildfire webpage, which are updated daily and provide observed and expected conditions in the state.
The wildfire danger maps are at www.dcnr.pa.gov/Communities/Wildfire/Pages.
Mirror Staff Writer Calem Illig is at 814-946-7535.