Brush Fires and Burn Bans

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Firefighters have been responding to brush fires for the past couple of days. On Monday, Erie County placed a burn ban for 14 days due to the dry conditions. 

Belle Valley Fire Department Chief Jeremy Moreland said it’s important that people don’t set fires at this time.  

" Right now, do not have any fires around at your house, smokers, don't flick your cigarettes outside the window. Anything could cause a fire right now with as dry and windy as it is," Moreland said.  

Lawrence Park Fire Chief Joe Crotty said the burn ban is meant as a safety measure, not as an inconvenience.  

"A lot of folks, they think about burning. They think about the traditional Saturday – burn day, where they can burn debris or yard debris. Obviously during the ban, that’s off the table.  So are cooking fires, and recreational fires. I know in our township a lot of folks take advantage of the warmer-milder temperatures,” Crotty said.  

Chief Crotty said he only had three firefighters with him for a call on the tracks this weekend in Lawrence Park. He said volunteer fire departments are lacking volunteers along with rain.  

“Along with the weather being in a drought, we’re certainly in a drought in the volunteer emergency services, and you know that's been occurring the last three decades,” Crotty said.