Spring Wildfires in Pennsylvania

With the cold weather and snow much of the state has had so far this winter, it is hard to imagine that Spring really isn't that far away. Spring officially starts with the vernal equinox, which is March 20, 2025.  Along with warmer weather, Spring also brings with it the potential for wildfires. 

According to DCNR Bureau of Forestry statistics, in 2023, Pennsylvania had 1901 wildfires with 9186 acres burned.  Final statistics were not yet available for the 2024 wildfire season, but Fall proved to be a very busy time due to the dry conditions in the state. Early reports stated that by mid-November, there had been over 650 fires in Pennsylvania that burned nearly 2000 acres. The wildfire season for 2024 was unusual in that there were more wildfires in the Fall than in the Spring. Usually, it is the other way around.    

Why is Springtime so dangerous when it comes to wildfires? The weather patterns. During the spring of the year, it is not unusual to have a fair amount of rain. This moisture can be deceiving, and conditions can quickly change and become favorable for a wildfire. The relative humidity can become quite low, and when you couple that with breezy conditions, the fuel source for wildfires can quickly become very dry. Because trees still do not have leaves, sunlight reaches the ground, which can warm up and dry out the ground, as well as sources of fuel (leaves, dead branches, pine needles, etc.) for wildfires. In field areas where the grasses haven't yet begun to green up, the brown tops that are remnants of last year's growth become an extremely flammable fuel source as well. It is important to understand that even though the ground itself may be moist, the dead leaves, twigs, and other fuels that lay on top of the ground may be very dry.

There are three requirements for a wildfire to occur. We talked about two of them already: dry conditions (including low relative humidity) and a fuel source (leaves, twigs, dead grass, etc.). The third is an ignition source. This is where the human element comes into play. DCNR reports that 99% of wildfires that occur in Pennsylvania each year are caused by humans (burning debris, fireworks, campfires, etc.). It doesn't take a very big burning ember to float away and land in a dry field to catch the dead grass on fire. Breezy conditions can quickly move the wildfire along and can very quickly turn into a much larger problem.

What are some things you can do to prevent wildfires? Consider composting the leaves, twigs, and other debris that you gather up in the spring.  Always consider current relative humidity, moisture, and wind speed before burning at any time of the year. Be sure to check if there is a burning ban in your area. Think twice about whether you really need to even burn at all.