Some people may love the full sunshine and no precipitation from Mother Nature in September, but it's not necessarily a good thing.


As Jay Lindemuth, a Fire Forester with the PA Bureau of Forestry explained, "Well we are in a drought right now, here in Northwest Pennsylvania, basically here in Erie County, Crawford, and Warren counties and some have abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions and every day now that the leaves are changing more fuel is falling on the forest floor and what we are referring to as the floor is the leaves and the litter that's on the forest floor."


The region could be starting wildfire season early, which leads to the potential of more fires popping up.
"Normally our fall wildfire season in northwest Pennsylvania usually doesn't occur until the end of October or the first part of November when our leaves are on the ground. No leaves are on the trees and that sunlight can hit the forest floor and dry out those fuels quicker. But when we are this dry in September, October, if this trend continues it's going to be even worse", said Lindemuth.


There are alternative solutions for people to clean up their yards ahead of fall instead of burning. According to Lindemuth, "If you are cleaning up your yard, make composts out of those for your gardens. Sticks and things like that you can pile in your yard if available and you can do that and provide habitat for wildlife."
But if someone must burn, it's recommended they burn in the early morning or late at night."


Although burning isn't recommended at this time, if people do burn, they should make sure they are watching it the whole time and it's put out completely when they leave.

Jessica Stutzman, the Director of Community Relations and Sustainability for Millcreek Township said, "Leaves can dry out quickly. Branches can dry out quickly, not only is it unsightly for these materials to build up on your property, but we offer these different avenues like the brush collection week, the upcoming leaf collection weeks, we offer it, so that you don't have to dispose of it with the lake view landfill. We do have a responsible way to compost it h

 

ere locally."

Millcreek's Brush collection is from September 15-19. There will be a third round made for the collection.

Meantime, there are several weeks for their leaf collections including October 20-24, November 17-21, and December 8-12.