While Spring brings warmer weather, it also comes with fire danger.
"Days of gusty winds and low relative humidity combine to create high forest fire danger," said Adam B. Libros, Canton's fire marshal and director of emergency management.
That's why emergency officials often refer to it as brush fire season.
Libros said there are several areas in which people should use caution.
The first is with campfires, including backyard fire pits.
Windy conditions present a danger and when forest fire danger is high, such fires should be avoided all together. Residents can check those conditions on the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's fire danger index.
Other precautions include never leaving a fire unattended and extinguishing them before going in for the night, Libros said.
Brush burning, on the other hand, requires a permit, Libros said. One day of burning is $15 and permits are available in the fire marshal's office on the second floor of Canton Town Hall. In addition to the standard safety precautions, officials can provide guidelines to those who purchase them.
Libros said people should also keep other common sense measures in mind, such as being especially careful with discarded cigarettes.
In the event a fire does break out, call 9-1-1 right away, Libros said. The sooner the town of Canton Volunteer Fire and EMS Department responds, the less chance it will spread.
See these additional tips at the DEEP web site.
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