The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution enacting a 30-day countywide ban on open fires, effective Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 12:00 p.m.

Open fires are defined as the ignition and subsequent burning of any combustible material (garbage, leaves, grass, twigs, litter, paper, vegetative matter involved with land clearing, or any sort of debris) outdoors in either a burn barrel (screened or unscreened), fire ring, or on the ground.

The use of propane or gas stoves, charcoal briquette grills, or the use of tobacco in any form is still permitted. Other exemptions are provided for normal agricultural operations, agricultural related business operations, candle lighting, and other small, contained burning (matches, lighters, candles) used for religious reasons.

"Montgomery County has suffered an unprecedented lack of rainfall and drought-like conditions for the majority of the past three months," said Jason Wilson, Deputy Director for Emergency Management at the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety. "These abnormally dry conditions and persistent lack of rainfall pose a great public safety concern by way of brush, wildland, and forest fires. As of today, Montgomery County fire companies have responded to over 300 reported brush and vegetation fires since the beginning of September, which have destroyed many acres of both natural and developed land."

In accordance with Pennsylvania Act 1995-52, the Board of Commissioners is authorized to provide for the imposition of a temporary countywide burn ban on open fires. Similar restrictions on open burning are also effect in the neighboring counties of Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Lehigh, as well as in more than 25 other counties across the Commonwealth.