Fire Marshal Cautions Residents over High Fire Danger Conditions

In light of the recent unseasonably warm temperatures, many have taken out their grills for a pre-summer barbecue treat.

However, with insignificant precipitation in the previous weeks, and forecasts continually pushing rainfall, the surreal weather is also an open invitation to some very real dangers.

Today, as well as a few days in recent weeks, the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety has issued a “High Fire Danger” warning for the region.

According to the department’s FaceBook post, today’s dry and blustery conditions have called for the high fire danger warning, which is in effect through 8 p.m. tonight.

The same warnings have also been issued, specifically, for Upper Moreland residents.

“I would draw everyone’s cautions to the dry, windy conditions, to be aware,” Robert Drennen, township fire marshal, said during the April 16 Public Safety Committee meeting. “Even if you have a legitimate barbecue, a flying ember could be catastrophic.”

While, Drennen reminded residents that burning of open yard wastes is prohibited in the township, he also reminded residents that the region’s current weather conditions may also pose a high risk for any activities that deal with fire.

Aside from embers from barbecue pits, another source of potential fires may come from motorists flinging still-lit cigarettes out of their car windows, igniting foliage or mulch along streets.

According to township Parks and Recreation Department director Pat Stasio, during times of drought (current conditions have not been declared to cause a state of drought), the township will disallow open fire pit or grill activities in township parks, in order to curb the risk of spreading fire.

According to a , scattered showers may finally arrive by the weekend.