Rick Deppen hoped things would be different, but when he saw last weekendâs forecast â sunny, dry and windy â he all but knew there would be wildfires.
Local weather conditions were nearly perfect for dry debris to ignite and for gusty winds to fan the flames, carrying embers from place to place, according to Deppen, who manages a state wildfire program for a nine-county region, including Lancaster.
And Deppen assumed volunteer firefighters throughout the region likely expected the same, especially Sunday when fire-favorable weather conditions were ideal. They see it almost every spring, he said.
âA lot of the guys will just go to the department and sit and wait because they know there are going to be fires,â said Deppen, an assistant forest manager at the state Department of Conservation and Natural resources.