Berks County has issued a ban on outdoor burning throughout the county beginning Saturday evening due to extremely dry conditions.
Since the start of September, the county has seen just over an inch of rain.
The burn ban will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday and remain in effect for the next 30 days, the county announced Thursday.
Open burning is defined as the outdoor ignition and subsequent burning of any combustible material, including garbage, leaves, twigs, wood, litter, paper, vegetative matter and other debris, either in a burn barrel, backyard fire pit or on the ground.
The use of propane or gas stoves, charcoal briquette grills and tobacco in any form is not affected by this ban.
Campfires are permitted in fire rings that confine and contain the campfire in designated state, federal or Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection licensed campgrounds only.
The ban excludes agricultural or agricultural-related business operations.
The ban is based on the recommendation of William Penn State Forest District Forester Richard Hartlieb with the support of 20 Berks fire chiefs.
Nearly two dozen Berks municipalities already had instituted their own burn bans.
Hartlieb said the request was made due to the existing dry and dangerous burning conditions throughout the county and an overall absence of rainfall.
“The combination of those conditions creates a great risk of fire that would require a soaking rain to alleviate the danger,” he said. “The current, long-range weather forecast does not indicate a great probability of soaking rain in the coming weeks.”
Violations to the ban are enforceable by law enforcement and are a summary offense with progressive fines for repeated violations.
The county commissioners during their meeting Thursday amended the existing burn ban resolution to include a new exemption for agricultural-related business operations.
Commissioners Chairman Christian Leinbach noted the new language in the resolution should alleviate some of the difficulties for those businesses that arose following the last burn ban in April 2023.
“Farms and businesses within the agriculture industry saw some consequences of the 2023 ban that might have led to threats to community health if not addressed,” he said. “I would stress that even though there is an exemption to the burn ban for normal agricultural and agricultural-related business operations, people should use common sense and consider the safety of people and property before all else.”
Commissioner Michael Rivera reminds residents to be cautious when using backyard grills that are still allowed under the ban.
Commissioner Dante Santoni Jr. noted the governor could issue a statewide ban on burning that would have a broader impact on activities than the county ban does.
Officials asked residents to abide by the ban to help reduce the risk of wildfires and protect all the forests and properties in the county.
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It’s bone-dry and getting drier; Berks fire officials warn against outdoor burning
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