LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Unseasonably warm temperatures coupled with dry conditions have triggered a drought warning across multiple counties in south-central Pennsylvania. On Friday, several large brush fires burned through Lancaster and Franklin Counties. The fires, fanned by the winds, have raised alarms among local residents and officials.
Chris Fischer of Providence Township witnessed the alarming spread of flames as they engulfed a neighboring cornfield. “I stepped out of the house after lunch and saw the smoke crossing the pines,” he recounted.
Despite not having a phone, Fischer participated in a game of telephone as he tried to alert his neighbors and fire officials. He knocked on doors and rushed from house to house until he finally found someone who could make the emergency call.
“I ran for the nearest house, pounded on the door—nobody answered. It was getting kind of scary,” he shared.
The community call for help led to dozens of fire crews responding to the scene, where locals reported approximately three acres to be on fire. Fire officials attribute the rapid spread to extremely dry conditions, worsened by winds.
“The leaves, the pine needles, everything’s just dry, so it spreads,” Fischer noted.
Refton Fire Company’s Assistant Chief Nathan Hammel confirmed that the ongoing drought has made the area highly susceptible to fires. “With little to no rainfall for an extended period, the ground is extremely dry and vulnerable to any kind of fire,” Hammel said.
While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, Fischer believes it was mistakenly sparked by a neighbor burning trash.
Lancaster County wasn’t alone in its firefighting efforts today. In Franklin County, fire crews battled two brush fires simultaneously, one of which consumed three acres while another mountainous fire scorched 10 acres.
Officials stress the importance of being mindful when it comes to outdoor burning during this unusually dry season as residents like Fischer have realized, community collaboration is necessary.
“If it hasn’t rained for a while, we would advise that you hold off on any burning until we see some substantial rainfall,” Hammel recommended.
Multiple counties across south-central Pennsylvania have imposed burn bans to prevent brush fires. Some of these areas include Southampton Township in Cumberland County, Southampton Township in Franklin County, Shippensburg Township, and Shippensburg Borough.
In other areas, different elements are being affected. Dover Township in York County has introduced mandatory restrictions on non-essential water use due to dwindling water supplies caused by limited rainfall this season. The restrictions include prohibitions on watering grass, using water in fountains or pools, and serving water in restaurants unless specifically requested by customers.
With ongoing drought conditions, community leaders are urging members of the community to come together to mitigate further risks. Dover Township released a statement on the issue.
“This is not a situation any of us want to be in, but nature is not cooperating, and we must ensure that our customers have water when they need it. We are most concerned about public health and ask our community to come together at this critical point.”
More information on the drought conditions in your area can be found here.