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Chester County Press

The big drought: Watch, warning and emergency

12/18/2024 01:20PM ● By Gabbie Burton
Chester County faces the climate crisis [1 Image] Click Any Image To Expand

By Gabbie Burton
Contributing Writer

For the past several years, in edicts ranging from warnings to an all-bulletin call for an apocalyptic catastrophe, deadlines from across the world continue to spread news about extreme weather, often painting the picture of climate change happening on a global scale. 

News articles right now tell about a “once in a century cyclone” in Mayotte off the eastern coast of Africa and a “rare” California tornado, but here in Chester County however, incidents of extreme weather feel far less extreme comparatively. The assuring news is that we don’t suffer from wildfires, rising sea levels or chronic extreme heat – at least not yet.

While Chester County may not be on the front lines of the climate disaster, the ramifications of global warming continue to signal that extreme and unusual weather conditions are creeping into the county and changing the community and the lives of its residents. Most recently, the county-wide burn ban and drought watch status could potentially become a tell-tale sign of an increasingly volatile issue.

In preparation for what is likely to be on the near horizon, county stakeholders have already embraced plans to combat the problem. In 2021, the Chester County Commissioners acknowledged the threat of climate change and adopted their Climate Action Plan with the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emission, mitigating impacts of climate change and transitioning to sustainable energy across the county. The plan provides a ten-year framework focusing efforts on four main sectors: buildings and energy, waste management, transportation and land use and food, agriculture and forestry.

The report also cites the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on how Pennsylvania’s climate is changing due to human impact, and the facts are there for everyone to see.

“In Pennsylvania, temperatures have increased by more than 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit since the early 20th century and are expected to increase by an additional 5.9 degrees Fahrenheit by 2050,” the plan reads. “Similarly, annual precipitation in Pennsylvania has increased by approximately 10 percent since the early 20th century and is expected to increase by another 8 percent by 2050, with a 14 percent increase during the winter season.”

The projected increase in statewide precipitation has not been evident yet here in Chester County over the last few months, however. On Oct. 27, the County Commissioners enacted a 30-day, county-wide burn ban before extending the ban to Dec. 26. Following recent favorable weather, the burn ban was rescinded on Dec. 9. Deputy Director for Fire Services Justin McClure said that there has not been a county wide burn ban enacted since July 2012.

“It is rare in this portion of the Commonwealth to have to enact something like that,” McClure said.

McClure shared that while the burn ban was enacted there were five structures fires that were the result of open burning. Additionally, McClure stated that on any given week, the county averages about three brush fire dispatches per week, however in the week of Nov. 3-9, the county had 52 brush fire dispatches, a roughly 1,633 percent increase. One of those brush fires, in Willistown Township, even resulted in a civilian death. In the 42 days of the burn ban, there were 166 brush fires and 73 mulch and trash fires according to a news flash posted on the Chester County website.

Additionally, West Grove Fire Company Chief Eric Felker shared that while the company usually receives about 50-60 calls per month, it has been increasing up to over 100 calls per month in October and November.

“The volume seemed to have been increasing even in August and September, and while our volume was elevated, it wasn’t over 100 but remained that 70s range per month,” he said. “The burn ban and the dry conditions definitely contributed to our volume increase in October and November.”

The burn ban and increase in fires was in conjunction with the drought conditions the county has been experiencing. Chester County has been under drought watch conditions since Nov. 1 as declared by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. SeungAh Byun, executive director of the Chester County Water Resources Authority, explained that drought conditions have three levels -- watch, warning and emergency -- and that each come with their own recommendations and requirements.

“The drought watch is basically an advisory signifying that we’re in abnormally dry conditions, that we may have some fire hazards, and that there is the potential that fire ends up being greater,” she explained. “We have less water supplies, and it’s a voluntary reduction of five to ten percent of non-essential water uses.”

Byun explained that the last time the county reached a drought emergency was in 2002 and that while she does not expect it to reach that level this time around, she said that it will still take time to recover. The recovery needed from the present drought watch conditions includes replenishing the lost water supplies in streams, reservoirs, lakes and groundwater, which isn't just as simple as getting a few inches of rain.

“It rained, but it’s been so dry, and everything just ends up running off,” Byun said. “For that amount of rain, you won’t see those impacts on the ground in the groundwater wells. It takes much longer for those wells to get replenished.”

Even with the recent rain across the area, Chester County remains under a drought watch as of Dec. 16. While projections into the likelihood of future similar events can be unclear, Byun shared that if these conditions return they are likely to be more severe in damage to the water supply.

“When you think about climate change impacts from a drought perspective, it’s not necessarily that we’re going to be in drought more often or it’s going to be longer periods of drought,” Byun said. “When we factor in climate change into the future, the conditions of drought end up being worse in terms of water supply.”

According to NASA, climate change’s impact includes worsening extreme weather and changes in weather patterns meaning everyone, everywhere could eventually feel impact, including here Chester County.

Whether or not these drought conditions and burn bans will become the new normal and how exactly climate change may impact the county is still unclear. What remains clear, however, is that the people and leadership of Chester County are prepared to do something about it.

To contact Contributing Writer Gabbie Burton, email [email protected].