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People need to use “extreme care” when it comes to burning, says Beach Lake Fire Chief Tony Franklin.
Six fire companies were called out Monday afternoon for a fire near Orchard Heights Mobile Home Park, Damascus Township. About five acres were burning when they arrived, the Chief said. “We couldn’t stop it ...It jumped two stone walls. Before it was all done, it covered 30 acres,” he said.
Franklin said a teenager was burning trash in a burn barrel and left the fire unattended. The fire quickly spread through the high grass, catching an apple orchard on fire. “If the wind would have turned around and went north, it would have burned half the trailer park down. It would have been a catastrophe,” Franklin said.
Seventy-five firefighters responded from: Beach Lake, Welcome Lake, White Mills, Narrowsburg, Lava and Cochecton. The Chief says another 20 civilians joined the efforts, parking their cars alongside the road, asking if they could help, along with residents who lived in the trailer park.
The fire occurred around 4 p.m., with fire departments remaining on scene for well over three hours.
Brush fire involves pickup truck
Beach Lake was toned out Tuesday, along with mutual aid from Equinunk Volunteer Fire Company, for a brush fire on Valley Ridge Road, Damascus Township.
Chief Franklin says a teenager was burning trash unattended in a burn pit when it spread to high grass. “Within minutes, it caught up to a pickup truck next to the barn,” he said. The pickup sustained moderate damage, he said. “If we’d have been five minutes later, the barn would have been gone. The barn was filled with hay. We wouldn’t have been able to stop it.” The fire covered about a half-acre of property.
Earlier Tuesday, Equinunk was toned out to 4978 Hancock Highway for another brush fire involving about two-acres of property. No word on what caused the fire.
About 25 firefighters responded. Firefighter Mike Turner said it took about an hour to an hour-and-a-half to put it out. Equinunk Fire Chief John Moss said the fire involved a resident’s back yard and burned brush by the Delaware River. Chief Moss said the victim’s home was never at risk, since the fire was burning away from the house.
Equinunk had two pumper tankers, their brush truck and an ATV on scene.
With brush fires occurring throughout the County, Chief Franklin says “fires need to be left for a rainy day or have a good containment plan,” And if a fire is getting out of control, don’t try and fight it all by yourself. “Get help on the way,” he said. Five minutes could make a big difference.
Cochecton fire
Seven area fire companies were called out to a brush fire on State Route 97 in Cochecton, Sullivan County, Wednesday afternoon.
Cochecton Fire Chief Jason Kraack said the fire occurred in a wooded area where a lot is being cleared. People were burning debris from the lot when the fire got away from them.
Chief Kraack says they were toned out about 12:20 p.m. and remained on scene for several hours. They were back in service by 3:30 p.m. Just under 10 acres burned.
Along with Cochecton, the following fire departments responded: Lake Huntington, Narrowsburg, Callicoon, Hortonville, Lava, Beach Lake and Equinunk. Cochecton Volunteer Ambulance, along with White Lake and Hankins fire departments, were on standby.
As we spoke with Chief Kraack around 4 p.m., he was waiting to see if they would be needed as mutual aid for another brush fire in the White Lake/ Bethel area. Asked about burning this time of year, Chief Kraack said, “It’s extremely unsafe now ...I’ve been telling everyone not to burn unless it’s raining, until everything greens up.”
People need to use “extreme care” when it comes to burning, says Beach Lake Fire Chief Tony Franklin.
Six fire companies were called out Monday afternoon for a fire near Orchard Heights Mobile Home Park, Damascus Township. About five acres were burning when they arrived, the Chief said. “We couldn’t stop it ...It jumped two stone walls. Before it was all done, it covered 30 acres,” he said.
Franklin said a teenager was burning trash in a burn barrel and left the fire unattended. The fire quickly spread through the high grass, catching an apple orchard on fire. “If the wind would have turned around and went north, it would have burned half the trailer park down. It would have been a catastrophe,” Franklin said.
Seventy-five firefighters responded from: Beach Lake, Welcome Lake, White Mills, Narrowsburg, Lava and Cochecton. The Chief says another 20 civilians joined the efforts, parking their cars alongside the road, asking if they could help, along with residents who lived in the trailer park.
The fire occurred around 4 p.m., with fire departments remaining on scene for well over three hours.
Brush fire involves pickup truck
Beach Lake was toned out Tuesday, along with mutual aid from Equinunk Volunteer Fire Company, for a brush fire on Valley Ridge Road, Damascus Township.
Chief Franklin says a teenager was burning trash unattended in a burn pit when it spread to high grass. “Within minutes, it caught up to a pickup truck next to the barn,” he said. The pickup sustained moderate damage, he said. “If we’d have been five minutes later, the barn would have been gone. The barn was filled with hay. We wouldn’t have been able to stop it.” The fire covered about a half-acre of property.
Earlier Tuesday, Equinunk was toned out to 4978 Hancock Highway for another brush fire involving about two-acres of property. No word on what caused the fire.
About 25 firefighters responded. Firefighter Mike Turner said it took about an hour to an hour-and-a-half to put it out. Equinunk Fire Chief John Moss said the fire involved a resident’s back yard and burned brush by the Delaware River. Chief Moss said the victim’s home was never at risk, since the fire was burning away from the house.
Equinunk had two pumper tankers, their brush truck and an ATV on scene.
With brush fires occurring throughout the County, Chief Franklin says “fires need to be left for a rainy day or have a good containment plan,” And if a fire is getting out of control, don’t try and fight it all by yourself. “Get help on the way,” he said. Five minutes could make a big difference.
Cochecton fire
Seven area fire companies were called out to a brush fire on State Route 97 in Cochecton, Sullivan County, Wednesday afternoon.
Cochecton Fire Chief Jason Kraack said the fire occurred in a wooded area where a lot is being cleared. People were burning debris from the lot when the fire got away from them.
Chief Kraack says they were toned out about 12:20 p.m. and remained on scene for several hours. They were back in service by 3:30 p.m. Just under 10 acres burned.
Along with Cochecton, the following fire departments responded: Lake Huntington, Narrowsburg, Callicoon, Hortonville, Lava, Beach Lake and Equinunk. Cochecton Volunteer Ambulance, along with White Lake and Hankins fire departments, were on standby.
As we spoke with Chief Kraack around 4 p.m., he was waiting to see if they would be needed as mutual aid for another brush fire in the White Lake/ Bethel area. Asked about burning this time of year, Chief Kraack said, “It’s extremely unsafe now ...I’ve been telling everyone not to burn unless it’s raining, until everything greens up.”
