A Carbon County official is saying that there is evidence along roadways that spring has sprung.

During the county commissioners’ meeting on Thursday, Commissioner Wayne Nothstein spoke about the litter that can be seen clearly along roadways this time of year — after the snow has melted and before the plants begin to grow.

“You can tell when traveling along the roads, all the garbage and debris along the highways, it’s really sad,” he said. “It’s extremely sad to see that people do not care.”

Nothstein said that maybe the county should urge elected officials in Harrisburg to increase fines to try to curb littering, as well as mandatory litter pickup for those who are prosecuted.

“We need to step up to the place and prosecute these people,” he said, noting that throwing out something as simple as a cigarette butt can turn into a larger problem.

This time of year is naturally a time for brush fires to begin as windy conditions move through between warm and cold fronts, dry leaves and underbrush are more visible and trees and shrubs have not yet greened up.

Nothstein said that in some states, throwing litter as small as a cigarette butt anywhere besides the proper receptacle will cost $1,000 in fines if caught.

“Especially during these dry times,” he said, “throwing a cigarette out the window has created a lot of problems for emergency responders the last few weeks.”

Nothstein stressed the importance of keeping litter and burning to a minimum since both have the possibility of getting out of hand quickly.

“Be careful out there: Don’t burn. Or, if you do, make sure it’s in a confined container with proper screening,” he said. “Check with your municipality’s ordinances and whether or not your municipality is in a burn ban.”

Several brush fires have been reported throughout Carbon County over the last weeks as dry conditions and high winds have been occurring in the region.