ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Local fire officials are warning against open flames in the wake of dry conditions and heightened winds in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding region.
Allentown Fire Department Captain of Public Affairs John Christopher said his department is discouraging any type of outdoor burning because of dry conditions and heightened risk of brush fires.
- Allentown Fire Department is warning against any outdoor fires due to dry conditions and elevated winds
- A red flag warning of critical fire weather conditions has been issued for the region by the National Weather Service
- No update has yet been provided about the origins of Monday's brush fires
"It literally could be anything that starts a fire right now," Christopher said. "Unextinguished cigarette butts — it's that dry out there.
"Really any type of outdoor burning shouldn't be done when these conditions exist, even charcoal grills. It's that severe right now."
Allentown Fire Department Captain of Public Affairs John Christopher
"Really any type of outdoor burning shouldn't be done when these conditions exist, even charcoal grills. It's that severe right now."
A red flag warning was issued for the area until 8 p.m. today covering the Lehigh Valley, Pocono Plateau, Southern and Central New Jersey and portions of Northern New Jersey.
The warning means critical fire weather conditions are expected.
https://twitter.com/NWSSPC/status/1666134747070836745?s=20Christopher said highly wooded and rural areas have even higher potential for "something catastrophic" in current dry conditions.
He said he was not surprised at the series of brush fires Monday in areas of Northampton and Monroe counties that shut down parts of Route 33 because of visibility concerns.
The Lehigh Valley has no county-wide burn bans in place. As of Tuesday morning, only York County had a burn ban in effect.
Smoke and haze from wildfires in Canada continue to be seen spread across the skies today throughout the Mid-Atlantic United States, leading to a code orange air quality alert.
If someone spots a brush fire, Christopher said to call the local fire department right away because they can spread quickly.
Elevated wind speeds observed Tuesday, he said, only exacerbate the risk of a fire spreading if it starts.
"All fires start out [as] small fires."
Allentown Fire Department Captain of Public Affairs John Christopher
"All fires start out [as] small fires," Christopher said.
State Police Trooper Nathan Branosky said the state Department of Conservation & Natural Resources is the lead agency in the fire investigation for the Monday brush fires, with the state police Troop M fire marshal assisting.
A DCNR representative has said the fires have been controlled and the investigation into the cause is ongoing.