PENNSYLVANIA, USA — The leaves and sticks have been falling lately, but not the rain.
Recent fires in Central Pennsylvania have shown just how bad a combination that could be.
Lancaster Township Assistant Fire Chief Glenn Usdin says there has been a red flag warning in all counties in the area for fire danger due to the dry conditions.
"The fire danger is extremely high in the region around South Central Pennsylvania," Usdin said. "Any of the material that falls on the ground, such as leaves and sticks, is extremely dry, and that makes it very possible for it to ignite from the littlest of thing, from either a spark or amber, from a campfire or from trash fire, or, of course, any discarded smoking materials."
Usdin says residents need to be extra careful to not do anything unnecessary that could start a fire.
"Be very extra vigilant with throwing cigarettes out the window," Usdin said. "They shouldn't be having any campfires. They should not discard any ashes, no open burning of trash or garbage, because when the conditions are this dry, it's very easy for fires to spread."
Rain is not expected in the forecast until potentially Thursday night.