Smoke from a fire in the Glen Summit area can be seen from Route 437 in Fairview Township on Wednesday evening. Luzerne County was placed under a ‘Red Flag Warning’ from the National Weather Service due to heightened fire risks, as illustrated here.
Hannah Simerson | Times Leader
NWS raises fire warning; Nanticoke issues burn-ban
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It may not be the most common of National Weather Service alerts, but “Red Flag Warnings” are very real, and a large stretch of the nation was placed under one on Wednesday, including all of Pennsylvania.
The smoke that could be seen billowing from areas of Mountain Top illustrate why, and crews were called out to brush fires in several areas of the county.
A Red Flag Warning means critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or will shortly. Wednesday’s warning for Luzerne County went into effect at noon and remained in effect until 8 p.m. Given similarly hot, dry weather predicted for Thursday, similar warnings — and fires — could be repeated.
Under those circumstances, the NWS advises:
• If you are allowed to burn in your area, all burn barrels must be covered with a weighted metal cover, with holes no larger than 3/4 of an inch.
• Do not throw cigarettes or matches out of a moving vehicle. They may ignite dry grass on the side of the road and become a wildfire.
• Extinguish all outdoor fires properly. Drown fires with plenty of water and stir to make sure everything is cold to the touch. Dunk charcoal in water until cold. Do not throw live charcoal on the ground and leave it.
• Never leave a fire unattended. Sparks or embers can blow into leaves or grass, ignite a fire, and quickly spread.
Nanticoke burn ban
The hot, dry conditions also led Nanticoke City on Wednesday to declare a two-week burn ban for its residents, one day after flames destroyed a double-block home and sparked a large brush fire in the Honey Pot section.
According to a post on the Nanticoke Fire Department Facebook page, the burn ban went into effect at noon and will stay in effect until April 26.
The post stated that any open burning out of doors, either in a burn barrel or on the ground, is prohibited.
Open burning is defined as the ignition and subsequent burning of any combustible material that includes garbage, grass, twigs, litter, paper and vegetative matter, involved with land clearing or any sort of debris.
The use of propane or gas stoves and charcoal briquette grills is not covered under the burn ban, said the post.
If necessary, the ban will be extended.
More on Red Flag Warnings
The NWS Red Flag Warning on Wednesday came as afternoon humidity of 20-30% was expected, as well as wind gusts up to 30 mph and temperatures in the 80s. These conditions, combined with warm temperatures, can contribute to extreme fire behavior.
The NWS’ website on Wednesday afternoon showed Fire Weather Watches and Red Flag Warnings for a large crescent of the country, stretching from the Southwest to coastal New England.
As a Slate article on Wednesday pointed out, Red Flag Warnings tend to be issued in the spring and fall, thanks to the combination of warm temperatures, low humidity, gusty winds and dry conditions. “If a fire does develop during this time, it tends to spread rapidly and is especially hard to extinguish,” the Slate report stated.
“Several daily high temperature records are forecast on Thursday from Wisconsin to southern New England,” a National Weather Service report stated. “Additionally, dry vegetation, low relative humidity, and gusty winds may lead to critical fire weather on Thursday from the southern High Plains to the Midwest.
According to our partners at Eyewitness News WBRE/WYOU, the elevated risk of wildfires will continue through Thursday evening. Low humidity, gusty winds and a dry ground will contribute to the increased possibility of brush fires across Pennsylvania.
Near-record highs in the middle and upper 80s are likely for Thursday and Friday, Chief Meteorologist Josh Hodell said.