It seems spring has sprung.

While that’s something many have been waiting for for weeks, it comes with a risk — the spring fire season.

“(We) ask people to be careful when outside burning,” DCNR District Forester Cecile Stelter said. “Don’t burn on windy days. Wait until (today) when we are going to see some precipitation in the forecast.”

According to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, March April and May — and again October and November in the fall — bring the highest periods of wildfire risk. Additionally, 99 percent of all wildfires are caused by people.

“DCNR encourages those starting a fire at home or at a campsite to make sure there are no combustible items within 10 feet of the fire,” according to a statement. “Additionally, it is recommended to have a rake or shovel along with water to properly suppress the embers of a fire.

Information on fire risk is also available via DCNR’s website.

Sharing that information was made more difficult, Stelter said, by someone stealing the Smokey Bear on their fire danger sign by the Kinzua Dam.

“That is supposed to be for public safety,” she said. “We do not appreciate it when people steal Smokey.”

According to DCNR, debris burning, equipment use, power lines, and campfires, are some of the most common causes of wildfires in Pennsylvania and that light rainfall in many areas, lack of green foliage in the spring, low humidity and sunny, windy days all combine to increase chances of forest and brush fires spreading.

“Such fires,” the agency says, “are almost always traced to human carelessness.”