Blue Mountain brush fire 100% contained, officials say

LEHIGH TWP., Pa. — A brush fire burning since Saturday on Blue Mountain is now totally contained, officials confirmed Friday.

“We are now 100% contained,” said Bob Kurilla, a public information officer with the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “Crews [are] still doing some mop up as this fire will smolder until we get [a] soaking rain.”

The Blue Mountain fire, also called the Gap Fire, erupted Saturday near Route 248 in Lehigh Township. The fire, which grew from 150 acres to almost 600, quickly becoming the largest brush fire the area has seen in more than two decades, was in the “mop up” phase as of Tuesday.

“Our team will be transitioning the fire back to the local William Penn Forest District at 4 p.m. today,” Kurilla said. “They will continue to patrol the fire area throughout the weekend.”

Gov. Josh Shapiro on Friday thanked firefighters who worked day and night to battle the blaze.

"Thank you to all of our first responders who worked around the clock to battle the Blue Mountain wildfires over the past week," Shapiro posted on X. "They ran toward danger to keep their fellow Pennsylvanians safe. They have our backs and I promise to have theirs."

Red flag warning Friday

The Lehigh Valley is in a red flag warning Friday — the second so far this month — as dry, windy conditions persist across the region.

The Valley is in a drought, with the U.S. Drought Monitor showing Lehigh and Northampton counties in extreme and severe drought, respectively. The state Department of Environmental Protection has declared a drought watch for both counties. As a result, the Lehigh County Authority has asked residents to voluntarily begin conserving water.

And, Northampton County Council instituted a burn ban starting Sunday. Once it takes effect, the ban will remain in effect for 30 days, unless county council opts to cancel it sooner or extend it.