EXPRESS FILE PHOTO A wildfire in 2024 is shown while burning in Chapman Township, Clinton County.

With low humidity and moderate winds, residents are urged to exercise extreme caution this week due to an elevated risk of wildfires across the region.

The warmer weather has Clinton and Centre county residents wanting to get outside and enjoy the sunshine, but the dry and breezy conditions have combined to create an increased risk of wildfires.

In response, authorities are urging residents of central Pennsylvania to comply with any issued burn bans and take additional precautions to prevent accidental fires.

“There are several factors we consider when thinking about wildfires. We closely monitor the state fire forecast from PEMA and DCNR and they work in conjunction with the National Weather Service. This time of year can be deceiving to people because it seems cold and damp and thoughts of a controlled burn getting out of control don’t cross their minds,” said Clinton County Emergency Management Coordinator Scott Kemmerer.

He outlined the conditions of vegetation as it prepares to come out of winter dormancy, with many grasses and shrub-like growth being dry on the upper two thirds of the plant.

“When we couple that with the windy conditions we experience this time of year it can really dry things out quickly, even after a heavy dew or frost,” said Kemmerer.

Kemmerer stressed that the lack of humidity is another huge factor in wildfires.

“There is typically enough moisture at the actual ground surface this time of year to prevent really rapid fire spread. However, if a spreading fire manages to reach an exposure such as a building, wood pile, vehicle… then we have additional problems,” said Kemmerer

In Pennsylvania, 99 percent of all wildfires are caused by people, and debris burning is the leading cause of wildfires in the state, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

“These fires most frequently start in someone’s backyard and travel through dead grass and leaves into bordering woodlands,” wrote DCNR on their wildfire informational page on their website.

As of the morning of March 12, DCNR forecasted moderate fire danger across the region. According to DCNR this means wildfires will ignite and spread, but are typically easy for firefighters to contain. They generally advise outdoor burning be restricted to the early morning and late evening while avoiding windy conditions.

The Beech Creek-Blanchard Volunteer Fire Company urged residents through their Facebook page to not burn brush or debris.

“We’ve responded to three wildfires since (Monday) at noon and it looks like this weather pattern will remain in place until Saturday,” they wrote.

The Clinton County Government Facebook page asked residents to refrain from burning as well, sharing a post by the Clinton County Department of Emergency Services that detailed the elevated wildfire risk.

The Clinton County Department of Emergency Services offered a few safety tips, including:

— Avoid outdoor burning, including debris or brush fires.

— Properly dispose of cigarettes, never toss them on the ground.

— Keep vehicles off of dry grass to prevent sparks from igniting a fire.

— If you see an unattended fire, report it immediately.

“If people want to burn material as they do spring clean-up we can only encourage them to maintain a constant watch on the fire and only burn in an area that is cleared of other items or debris. They should also consider having a water source nearby such as a hose or several large buckets filled. We highly recommend if the fire seems like it is getting away from you or out of control please call 911 as soon as possible. Do not try to handle it yourself,” said Kemmerer.

The Centre County Emergency Alerts and Information Facebook page warned of the elevated risk of wildfire spread and advised against outdoor burning.

Mere hours later, firefighters were called out to several wildfire-related calls, including an incident in Marion Township that consumed several acres of land.

“Ended up being just over 10 acres burned and stopped within 100 yards of other exposures. Please refrain from burning during these dry times, fires will spread quickly,” said Josh Collins, chief of the Howard Fire Company, on Facebook.

The PA Game Commission conducted several prescribed burns in the Spring Creek Canyon area off Barns Lane in Benner Township during the first half of the week, according to the Game Commission, a decision some local residents criticized as an irresponsible risk given the weather conditions.

According to Kemmerer, Clinton County 911 were dispatched to seven wildfires since March 1 — some caused by controlled burns getting out of control, and at least one from power lines coming down and starting the blaze.