Press Release
For further information contact:
Paul Johnson, Susquehanna County Emergency Management Coordinator
570-278-5914
pjohnson@susqco.com
For Release: Immediate

Countywide Burn Ban for Susquehanna County

(March 26, 2015, Montrose, PA) The Susquehanna County Board of Commissioners, in cooperation with the County Fire Chiefs and Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District 11, has issued a resolution enacting a temporary ban on open burning in Susquehanna County from 12:01am Thursday, April 2, 2015 to 12:01am Saturday, May 2, 2015.

Open burning is defined as the ignition and subsequent burning of any combustible material such as garbage, leaves, grass, twigs, litter, paper, vegetative matter involved with land clearing, or any sort of debris out-of-doors either in a burn barrel or on the ground. The use of propane or gas stoves, charcoal briquette grills, or the use of tobacco in any form is not covered under county burn bans. Camp fires are allowed in the fire rings that confine and contain the camp fire in a designated state, federal, or Department of Environmental Protection licensed campground.

Under the resolution, a violation of the ban on open burning is a summary offense; punishable by fines up to $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense, and $300 for the third offense. The resolution is enforceable by local and State Police officers.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has placed Susquehanna County under a drought watch. Snowpack in the county is diminishing rapidly with warmer temperatures and rain. According to the Bureau of Forestry, the greatest danger of spring wildfires is in March, April and May due to warmer, windier days. The Bureau of Forestry also states that the majority of wildfires in Pennsylvania are caused by debris burning.

Should residents have any questions regarding the burn ban, they should contact the Fire Chief of their local fire department.