The Carroll County Forestry Board Expands Its Fire Prevention Week until October 31st.

The unprecedented wildfires in northern California have yet to been contained. This Saturday is the final day of National Fire Prevention week, and hopefully, the winds will stop and the flames will cease.

Wildfires have been recognized as a public health issue for nearly 100 years. Back in 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day. Two years later, officials decided that a week would be needed to advocate fire-prevention awareness. Here in Maryland, we experience wildfires. Thankfully, not to the destructive levels that have taken 31 lives in California. This year, The Carroll County Forestry Board is expanding its fire prevention week until October 31st.

Wildfires can occur in any region when conditions are in the air. This usually happens during the autumn months when deciduous trees start to loose their leaves. Area winds bring them closer to the forest floor. Sunlight then dries the forest floor. All the while, the relative air humidity is drier, breezes pick up, and the conditions for wildfires spread rapidly.

Human activities responsible for starting fires on public and private lands are arson, campfires, debris burning, downed power lines, equipment use, fireworks, and railroads. Lightning is the only natural cause. In 2016, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Services responded to 2 wildfires that burnt 0.2 acre of public forest in the county. Local fire departments covering Carroll County responded to incidents from these districts:

Westminster 812

Sykesville 619

Hampstead 363

Mount Airy 314

Reese 266

Gamber 227

Taneytown 206

Pleasant Valley 159

Manchester 150

New Windsor 137

Winfield 116

Lineboro 113

Harney (not available)

Union Bridge (not available)

Piney Run Park Nature Center (located at 30 Martz Road in Sykesville) will have the Carroll County Forestry materials on display during normal hours of operation.

The park entrance fee is $5 for residents, $10 for out-of-area visitors. Citizens who are 62-years-of-age and older, and active military-members are free with ID. For park hours, visit the Piney Run Park Nature Center website at http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/recpark/pineyrun/PRNatureCenter.aspx

In addition, there will be Smokey Bear handouts, and a life-size cutout of Smokey Bear for families with children. For more information and resources such as fire safety for landscaping for woodland homes to learning the behavior of fires, contact the Carroll County Forestry Board at ccforestryboard@gmail.com