Heights Fire Co. gets $12.5k volunteer fire assistance grant from DCNR
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL FILE - A Heights Fire Co. brush truck at the scene of a fire on the pole line.
SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS – The Heights Fire Co. was one of over 100 companies receiving a volunteer fire assistance grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
The fire company is receiving $12,500, the maximum grant total in the program, and Chief Steven Quinn told the Sentinel it will be used to purchase a utility-task vehicle (UTV).
He said exact details will be determined later this week.
The grant program is a 50/50 matching grant, in which grants awarded cannot exceed 50 percent of the actual expenditures of local, public, and private nonprofit organizations in the agreement.
Priority, DCNR said, was placed on projects that include the purchase of wildfire suppression equipment and protective clothing. Grants may also be used for purchasing mobile or portable radios, installing dry hydrants, wildfire prevention and mitigation work, training wildfire fighters, or converting and maintaining federal excess vehicles. The vehicles are presented to the local departments exhibiting the greatest needs and those that commit to outfitting them for fire suppression.
“Ensuring we have well-equipped and highly trained wildfire fighters is key in protecting our forests and wilds from wildfires, whether they are human-caused and naturally occurring,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. “The best way we can show our gratitude to those who help fight brush and forest fires across the commonwealth is to practice fire safety in all situations, especially in October and November when wildfires are most common in Pennsylvania.”
Though the Commonwealth has seen an increased number of wildfires in 2023, the greatest danger of wildfires in Pennsylvania occurs during the autumn months of October and November, and the spring months of March, April, and May. In Pennsylvania, 99 percent of all wildfires are caused by people. Certain conditions are necessary for a wildfire to occur:
- An available fuel source, such as dried grass or leaves
- Dry conditions, including low relative humidity
- An ignition source — some way for the fire to start
DCNR encourages those starting a fire at home or at a campsite to make sure there are no combustible items within 10 feet of the fire. Additionally, it is recommended to have a rake or shovel along with water to properly suppress the embers of a fire. Finally, officials recommend checking DCNR’s website to see if there is an elevated fire risk.
Advice from DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry includes:
- Clear the area around the fire prior to starting it;
- Keep the fire small and never leave it unattended;
- Before you strike a campfire match, first consider if it is too warm, dry or windy for a fire and if the surrounding area is free of leaves and other combustibles;
- Make sure there is a ready source of water (bucket or hose) nearby and a rake to extinguish any embers that might escape; and
- When you are done with the fire put it out with water until all ashes are cold to the touch.
Several local communities, including Shenandoah and West Mahanoy Township, outright prohibit open fires in their municipality.
Thousands of acres of state and private woodlands are burned by wildfires each year.
Debris burning, equipment use, power lines, and campfires, are some of the most common causes of wildfires in Pennsylvania. Light rainfall in many areas, lack of green foliage in the spring, low humidity and sunny, windy days all combine to increase chances of forest and brush fires spreading. Such fires are almost always traced to human carelessness.
Residents are also advised to create “safe zones” around homes and cabins by removing leaves and other debris from the ground and rain gutters, stacking firewood away from structures and trimming overhanging branches.
Wildfire prevention is a message brought to people across the country by the well-known figure, Smokey Bear. Detailed information about wildfire prevention as well as materials for kids and educators is on the www.SmokeyBear.com.
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