Pa. Game Commission sets 'prescribed fire' to maintain grasslands in western Berks
Feb. 13—Pennsylvania Game Commission ignited a brush fire Monday afternoon on state game lands in Lower Heidelberg Township in what the commission calls a prescribed fire to maintain grassland habitat.
The prescribed fire is to eradicate brush from 40 acres along Highland Road not far from Old Dry Road Farm, a living-history farm museum.
Smoke is expected to be visible near Brownsville and State Hill roads and as well as Route 183 until 4 p.m.
There were reports that smoke was visible from the parking lot of Broadcasting Square, 6 miles to the east, along Route 222 in Spring Township, shortly after the fire was set.
As if to say don't try this at home, the National Weather Service around noon issued a special weather statement urging residents of Berks, Lehigh and western Montgomery counties to use extreme caution when handling any potential ignition source such as cigarettes and discarded smoking materials, matches and machinery due to an elevated risk of wildfire through Monday afternoon.
A combination of low relatively humidity, stead northwesterly winds and dry grass brush and leaf cover is to blame, the weather service statement said, adding the risk was to lessen as temperatures cooled and relative humidity rose through the evening.
Game Commission officials said the conditions where the fire was set were within the parameters the commission follows for prescribed fires.
