LEHIGH TWP., Pa. - According to Bob Kurilla of DCNR, the Blue Mountain brush fire that started Saturday afternoon will burn for days.
As of Monday, 577 total acres have burned with a total of 25% containment, according to a press release from Lehigh Township Volunteer Fire Company.
Jeremy Hamilton, Incident Commander said Monday's fire activity posed some challenges to on-site resources.
All personnel on the top along the Appalachian Trail were able to hold the forward spread from crossing the ridge to the north.
Along with this, crews also were able to currently hault spread toward the east above Timberline Road, according to the news release.
There will still be many days of hard work securing the perimeter and extinguishing hotspots., according to Hamilton.
To ensure the safety of the general public, residents and recreationalists are being urged to stay away from the fire area as efforts are still ongoing to address the situation, which includes dealing with hotspots and potential hazards from falling trees.
Hamilton suggests that the danger to homes near Timberline Road has significantly decreased.
People will still see glowing trees and pockets of interior activity and smoke will still be present for the foreseeable future.
Personnel shall remain on-site working and monitor conditions.
Lehigh Township Volunteer Fire Company Assistant Chief Brian Krische said DCNR will investigate the cause of the fire. Krische said, "We do have a point of origin identified because a bunch of passerbys have sent us pictures of when the fire started."
No injuries or damage to any structures have been reported.
When Krische was asked what people can do to prevent this from happening in the future, he said people should abide by burn bans and check with their local municipalities. He also said people should never throw cigarettes out of the side of a car.