Burn ban protects against 'threat of life and property'

MILFORD — A Pike County has declared a 30-day burn ban to reduce the risk of wildfire during an unusually dry spring.
County commissioners said weather conditions over the past four months have resulted in "record low stream levels, very low groundwater levels, drier than normal temperatures, with no significant rainfall being forecast."
Brush fires have increased over the past several weeks, which is keeping the wildfire potential very high throughout the county, the commissioners stated in their announcement.
"This fire potential poses a serious and imminent threat to the life and property within Pike County," said the commissioners.
Concern about the wildfire risk was expressed by the District Forester on behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and by most fire chiefs in the county, the commissioners said.
A forest fire in neighboring Monroe County grew so large last week, even Pike residents were afflicted by foul-smelling smoke.
The burn ban was declared April 22 under the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services Code and establishes a temporary 30-day countywide ban on all open burning, defined as "the ignition and subsequent burning of any combustible material (garbage, leaves, grass, twigs, litter, paper, vegetative material involved with land clearing or any sort of debris) out-of-doors either in a burn barrel (screened or unscreened) or on the ground."
Not covered by the ban is the use of propane or gas stoves, charcoal briquette grills, or tobacco "in any form." Camp fires in designated state or federal campgrounds are also allowed, as long as they are contained within fire rings.
Any sworn police officer may enforce the ban. Each violation is a summary offense that carries a fine of up to $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense, and $300 for the third and every subsequent offense.