Firefighters from multiple counties battled stubborn brush fires on Pisgah Mountain near Tamaqua for several hours Saturday and near Jack Frost Ski Area in Kidder Township on Sunday.

Crews remind area residents that conditions are ideal for brush fires to start quickly so people must be diligent and take preventive measures.Tamaqua blazeUnits were dispatched to the area of 161 Owl Creek Road on Tamaqua after 1 p.m. Saturday for a report of the first brush fire.Arriving on scene, firefighters encountered the blaze on a mountainside to the rear of residences along Owl Creek Road and reaching toward the mountaintop.Firefighters accessed the area from an unpaved lane running perpendicular to Owl Creek Road.In addition to ground units, a helicopter from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources was dispatched to battle the fire from above.According to Jim Connely, Tamaqua Fire Department duty chief, the fire impacted the land of David Kranch.The fire call was made by Kranch's brother Chris."It affected 4 to 5 acres," said Connely.In addition to the Tamaqua Fire Department, units were summoned from Walker and West Penn townships and Summit Hill. Most of the blaze had been knocked down by 4 p.m."The cause is under investigation," said Wes Harner, DCNR representative of the Weiser District State Forest, Aristes.The fire's location was near the general area of the massive Springdale Pit, which runs from Tamaqua to Summit Hill.One local resident noted that forest fires are particularly worrisome in the coal regions due to the presence of exposed coal pockets that potentially can ignite and spread fire underground.Pisgah Mountain is part of the 12.5-mile Pisgah Ridge spanning the area between the river gap in Tamaqua and the river gap in Jim Thorpe.Sunday's fireOver in Carbon County, volunteer firefighters remained on scene this morning in the area of Jack Frost Ski Area in Kidder Township after a forest fire that began Sunday and burned approximately 160 acres.Mark Nalesnik, coordinator for the Carbon County Emergency Management Agency, confirmed Monday that crews were still at the scene."They're still out there working that fire," Nalesnik said. "There's no threat to the community at this time, no reason for evacuations or anything like that."Lake Harmony Fire Chief Ralph Lennon said about 100 firefighters helped battle the blaze, which was discovered around noon between the Francis E. Walter Dam and Jack Frost."The cooperation of all the agencies that were involved was tremendous," Lennon said. "It went about as smooth as smooth could be."Lennon also expressed thanks to "all the people that were on scene."Carbon County Communications Center set up a command post, and Lehigh & Lausanne Volunteer Fire Company had a mobile rehab for firemen to rest and get cold drinks.North Penn Goodwill Services provided canteen services for about five hours, which included hamburgers, hot dogs, cold drinks, portable bathrooms.The cause is under investigation by the Department of Community and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry.Also on Sunday, another brush fire broke out in the McAdoo/Kline Township area. Due to ongoing dry conditions, the National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch until 8 p.m. today.