Wildfires in Pennsylvania Today we are going to learn about Pennsylvania wildfires. This presentation is courtesy of the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. www.dcnr.state.pa.us

Wildfire is defined as… any unwanted fire that burns fields, grass, brush or forests. What is wildfire? Any unwanted fire that burns fields, grass, brush, or forests 2

Wildfires affect… Wildlife 3 wildfires can negatively impact wildlife and their habitat Wildlife 3

Wildfires affect… Watersheds 4 Wildfires can destroy ground cover. This leads to soil erosion and causes sedimentation (soil to build up) in streams, rivers, and water supplies. This can harm or kill aquatic plants and animals. Watersheds 4

Wildfires affect… Forests and Plants 5 Wildfires damage forests and plants which can take months or decades to recover to their pre-fire condition. Forests and Plants 5

Wildfires affect… Personal Property 6 Wildfires can damage or destroy personal property including homes, vehicles, garages, barns, sheds, and other valuable items. Personal Property 6

When is Pennsylvania’s wildfire season? Typically fire risk is greater in the spring and fall when leaves are off deciduous trees. Deciduous trees (i.e., oak, maple) lose their leaves annually while conifers or evergreens (i.e., pine, fir) keep their pine needles year round. In the spring, after the snow melts and before the new leaves come out, the sun warms and dries the fallen leaves, twigs, and branches. Similarly, in the fall the air is drier and the leaves fall and dry on the forest floor. 2000-2009 7

Number of Acres Burned 2000-2009 8 The average number of acres burned per year is 4300. 8

When are Western wildfires? Media attention from western fires leads people to believe all wildfires occur during the summer. Western states have hot, dry summers with frequent dry lightning storms. Lightning is a major cause of western fires. Less than 2% of Pennsylvania wildfires are caused by lightning. 9

Western Wildfire Season Western wildfire season is different from Pennsylvania’s. The western wildfires season is continuous with most fires occurring from May to October. Pennsylvania’s wildfire season is not continuous. Most fires occur primarily from March to May and then resume from October to November. 10

Why are PA fires predominately in spring and fall? Direct sunlight Dry winds Leaves Logs and fallen limbs Deciduous trees without leaves in the spring and fall allow sunlight and wind to reach the forest floor; warming the ground and drying leaves, brush and logs. 11

Wildfire Behavior Triangle Wildfire behavior and intensity are controlled by fuels, topography (terrain) and weather. 12

Fuels Grass Leaves Pine needles Twigs Branches and logs 13 Fuels consist of plant and tree materials. Grass, leaves, and pine needles can dry within an hour and easily ignite. Small twigs and branches dry out in several hours. 13

Weather Relative humidity Temperature Wind Precipitation 14 Low relative humidity, warmer temperatures, and wind rapidly dry grass, leaves, twigs, and branches. A lack of rain or snow allows vegetation to dry further and increases wildfire risk. 14

Greatest Wildfire Risk 12 11 10 9 6 4 3 2 1 8 7 5 Peak burning conditions occur between 10 AM and 6 PM. The driest time of the day begins after the morning dew has evaporated. The sun is high in the sky and beats directly on the ground. 15

Topography Slope Aspect 16 Topography includes slope and aspect. Each plays a role in wildfire behavior. Fire moves faster up steep slopes and slower on flat terrain. Heat and air moves quickly up steep slopes accelerating fuel drying and fire spread. Aspect is the direction (north, south, east or west) the terrain faces. North facing slopes receive less direct early morning sunlight. South and west facing slopes receive direct afternoon and evening sunlight resulting in drier conditions as the ambient air temperature is higher later in the day. 16

Seasonal Transitions Spring: South to North Fall: North to South 17 The fire season moves from south to north because of Pennsylvania’s size. This South to North transition, as the vegetation becomes green in the spring, is fairly obvious. The process reverses itself as fall colors come upon us and deciduous trees lose their leaves prior to winter. This effects where wildfire activity occurs during these times. Spring: South to North Fall: North to South 17

Spring – Mid May The next couple slides show a progression of vegetation green up from south to north. Leaves on deciduous trees begin to come out early to mid-May in the south 18

Spring – Mid-late May Deciduous trees leaf out in mid to late May in the central portion of Pennsylvania 19

Spring – Early June Deciduous trees leaf out in early June in the north 20

Fall – Mid October Progression of fall foliage and leaf drop from north to south. In general deciduous tree leaves turn colors and drop by the third week in October in the north. 21

Fall – Late October Deciduous trees in the central Pennsylvania lose their leaves in late October. 22

Fall – Early November Southern deciduous trees lose their leaves in early November. 23

Wildfire causes: 24 Other includes: Camp fires (5%) Railroads (3%) Lightning (2%) Children (2%) Smoking (2%) Human activity causes 98% of all wildfires in Pennsylvania. Debris burning and arson are the leading causes. 24

Wildfire suppression can be costly! The individual responsible for starting a wildfire in Pennsylvania can be held accountable for suppression costs including manpower and equipment 25

Wildfire suppression can be costly! …helicopters 26

Wildfire suppression can be costly! … and aircraft. They are also liable to a civil suit for loss of personal property, injuries, and even death. To reduce your risk of causing a wildfire, there are simple steps you can take. 27

Grass & area cleared 10 feet around barrel Safe Debris Burning Screen Metal container Practice careful burning. When you burn debris, five simple steps will reduce the risk. Clear an area 10 feet around the barrel to prevent sparks from igniting material outside the barrel. Have a water hose and rake available to quickly put out sparks. Use a metal container with ½ inch ventilation holes at base to allow for quick and clean burning of debris. Put a ¼ inch expanded steel screen on top of barrel as a spark arrester. Always make sure the fire is completely out before you walk away from the burn barrel or burning debris. Hose & rake ½ inch holes at base Grass & area cleared 10 feet around barrel 28

Alternatives to Debris Burning Recycling Mulching/chipping Wildlife habitat Composting Instead of burning debris, several alternatives include recycling, mulching or chipping lawn debris, or creating brush piles in wooded areas. Composting debris creates rich organic matter for use in gardens and flower beds. http://www2.cambridgema.gov/TheWorks/departments/recycle/basics.html 29

Alternatives to Campfires Check forest fire danger rating with your local Bureau of Forestry office. When local or county-wide burn bans are in effect, campfires should not be used. When camping, use a stove to cook to reduce the risk of wildfire. A self-contained metal or ceramic fire pit can be used in place of an open campfire. And as always, be sure camp fires are put out cold. 30

Prevention Message You will have a 3-5 second delay before Smokey Bear wildfire prevention video. 31

For more information, contact: DCNR Bureau of Forestry Local Forest Fire Warden Local Fire Company www.dcnr.state.pa.us 32