Dry conditions helped fan flames of Fayette County brush fire

Dry conditions are starting to cause problems for firefighters. The lack of rain has created a perfect scenario for brush fires. Crews had to battle one Wednesday in a heavily wooded area of Dunbar Township, Fayette County.

While a cause is not known, county emergency management director Roy Shipley says the dry weather didn't help. Crews had to fight the flames into the night before getting it all out.

"The county is in the process now of working with the district forester to get his report and then put a county-wide burn ban on," Shipley said.

That means no one would be allowed to burn anything outside. Shipley said it doesn't take much, especially as leaves are starting to fall and dry up.

"Before you know it, it gets out of hand, a spark goes here, a spark goes there," Shipley said.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 99% of wildfires are caused by humans. 

Allegheny County Emergency Services said they get calls almost every day of fires related to this dry weather. They had one Thursday of a cigarette starting a fire in some mulch. Right now, there are no burn bans in any county across the state.

"We get a lot of calls. 'Oh, it was a controlled burn that got out of control.' Yeah, it got out of control because they left it unattended," Shipley said.

If any burn bans go into effect, violators will be fined. In Allegheny County, fires are required to be no bigger than 3x3 feet and flames are not to go above 2 feet high.