Cumberland County officials issued an evacuation notice on Thursday to some residents near a wildfire in Michaux State Forest.Residents who live on Thompson Hollow Road and Three Turn Road in Southampton Township were told to report to a check-in point at 2460 Shippensburg Rd. for further determination of needs and support.The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said roadblocks are set up at Baltimore and Whitmer roads, as well as Shippensburg Road and Route 233, to keep the area clear.Second fireA second wildfire broke out in Michaux State Forest on Thursday afternoon.The blaze is in the area of Ridge and Cold Springs roads near Hammonds Rocks vista.Ridge Road and Cold Springs roads are closed to public travel to accommodate suppression operations.Forest visitors are advised to avoid Buck Ridge Trail and Hammonds Rocks Trail. The beach at Laurel Lake is closed to accommodate helicopter water dips.The DCNR said additional resources are on standby to protect man-made structures and will deploy as needed.No structures are currently threatened.Residents asked to avoid active fire zonesThe Cumberland County Department of Public Safety is urging residents to stay alert and away from active fire zones."Please avoid these areas and allow emergency responders to work safely," said Robert Shively Jr., director of Cumberland County Public Safety.In addition to Cumberland County, fire crews from Franklin, Adams, Dauphin, York, Perry, Fulton, and Lebanon counties, are assisting with response efforts. Crews from Washington County and Frederick County in Maryland have also responded.Dry conditionsOfficials said dry conditions are hampering efforts to extinguish the fires.Leaf litter and dead trees fueling the flames.Officials explained how the public can help."Most fires are human-caused, and a lot of those are even accidents, like when people are burning debris and so forth. If people would refrain from burning this time of year, that would be a huge help to us and the local volunteer fire companies that are out there working alongside us," DCNR spokesperson Josh Thompson said.It's not clear how the fires started.
SOUTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
Cumberland County officials issued an evacuation notice on Thursday to some residents near a wildfire in Michaux State Forest.
Residents who live on Thompson Hollow Road and Three Turn Road in Southampton Township were told to report to a check-in point at 2460 Shippensburg Rd. for further determination of needs and support.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said roadblocks are set up at Baltimore and Whitmer roads, as well as Shippensburg Road and Route 233, to keep the area clear.
Second fire
A second wildfire broke out in Michaux State Forest on Thursday afternoon.
The blaze is in the area of Ridge and Cold Springs roads near Hammonds Rocks vista.
Ridge Road and Cold Springs roads are closed to public travel to accommodate suppression operations.
Forest visitors are advised to avoid Buck Ridge Trail and Hammonds Rocks Trail.
The beach at Laurel Lake is closed to accommodate helicopter water dips.
The DCNR said additional resources are on standby to protect man-made structures and will deploy as needed.
No structures are currently threatened.
Residents asked to avoid active fire zones
The Cumberland County Department of Public Safety is urging residents to stay alert and away from active fire zones.
"Please avoid these areas and allow emergency responders to work safely," said Robert Shively Jr., director of Cumberland County Public Safety.
In addition to Cumberland County, fire crews from Franklin, Adams, Dauphin, York, Perry, Fulton, and Lebanon counties, are assisting with response efforts. Crews from Washington County and Frederick County in Maryland have also responded.
Dry conditions
Officials said dry conditions are hampering efforts to extinguish the fires.
Leaf litter and dead trees fueling the flames.
Officials explained how the public can help.
"Most fires are human-caused, and a lot of those are even accidents, like when people are burning debris and so forth. If people would refrain from burning this time of year, that would be a huge help to us and the local volunteer fire companies that are out there working alongside us," DCNR spokesperson Josh Thompson said.
It's not clear how the fires started.
