County bans outdoor burning due to extremely dry conditions

Crawford County government has put a burning ban in place until further notice.

County commissioners, in conjunction with local fire chiefs and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), implemented an immediate outdoor burn ban for all of the county around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday.

The ban is in effect until further notice due to extremely dry conditions and steady winds which may result in any outdoor fire quickly becoming out of control.

Cecile M. Stelter, a DCNR district forester/district fire warden, asked commissioners for the temporary countywide ban after consulting with fire chiefs in the county and the Crawford County Department of Public Safety.

DCNR's wildfire danger map puts the risk for Crawford, Erie, Mercer and Venango counties as high for all four counties.

The high risk is defined as dangerous conditions where wildfires ignite easily, fires spread rapidly and are difficult to control under windy conditions.

"It's been nonstop on the (emergency) radio," Commissioner Scott Schell said of fire department call outs by the Crawford County 911 for brush and wild fires. Schell also is chief of Cochranton Volunteer Fire Department.

"As of this morning, there were 22 since Nov. 1," Greg Beveridge, director of the county's Department of Public Safety, said late Tuesday afternoon. "The number is probably pushing 30 as of now."

Violations of the burning ban would be a summary offense with a fine of $100, $200 for a second offense, and $300 for a third offense.

The prohibition of outdoor burning in all of the county will be up for renewal by commissioners after 30 days.