BENEZETTE — Several fire departments from in and around the Tri-County area battled a wildfire in Benezette for nearly 10 hours on Wednesday.
Jay Township Volunteer Fire Co. Chief/Incident Commander Brandon Kowalski said they were dispatched to the area at 3:22 p.m. Wednesday.
The blaze began in the village of Grant in Benezette around State Route 555, before spreading up Winslow Hill.
The first priority once on scene, said Kowalski, was to save two structures near the base of the fire, a home and a camp. Kowalski said one person at the home was treated for minor smoke inhalation, but no other injuries were reported from the blaze. Aside from some melted siding, the home and camp were saved, according to Kowalski.
Crews were combatting the wildfire from both the top and the bottom of Winslow Hill.
Due to the terrain and location, firefighters worked fully hands-on, having to carry the equipment with them as they moved, said Kowalski, referring to the challenging area as “rugged, deep and rocky.”
“I was cycling crews in and out regularly, (so they could) go to EMS command for rehab and refreshments,” he said.
Following the first containment of the fire, there was what Kowalski calls a “fire-line jump,” which was, at first, out of their line of view. Luckily, it was caught and handled in time, with about a third of the fire personnel needed for the initial call.
On steep hills such as this, and with windy and dry weather conditions, “fire-line jumping” is common with wildfires, according to Toby Herzing, public information officer for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)’s Elk State Forest region. All it takes is for “one little leaf to catch fire,” he said.
Typically, they anticipate the possibility of wildfires occurring in the spring. Autumn temperatures have been warmer over the past couple of weeks, though, leaving leaves on the ground and dry weather conditions, said Herzing.
Once the fire departments consider the blaze “contained,” it is then handed over to DCNR officials, which occurred at 12:33 a.m. Thursday.
State Route 255 was also shut down for traffic control, being that all fire apparatuses were staged on the road, and to prevent accidents or anyone getting hurt, Herzing said.
As of Thursday afternoon, DCNR crews were still working on some containment efforts, including “mopping up,” or extinguishing all of the hot spots and monitoring the area, Herzing continued.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, as well as the amount of acreage the blaze covered. The primary focus currently is making sure the fire is fully contained.
Being that Benezette is largely known for its wildlife population, Herzing noted the blaze spread slowly enough that animals such as elk, deer and bear should have been able to escape the area quickly.
DCNR will be working alongside the Pennsylvania Game Commission following this process, as they take care of this particular area.
A “pat on the back” for local fire departments
All eight Elk County fire companies were on scene, including Jay, Fox, Highland and Horton townships, St. Marys, Johnsonburg, Ridgway and Wilcox, said Kowalski.
Clearfield County fire departments on scene included ones based in Clearfield, Lawrence Township, Karthaus, North Point, Penfield and DuBois City, as well as Emporium and Sinnamahoning departments out of Cameron County, Brockway and Sykesville of Jefferson County, Kane of McKean County and Renovo of Clinton County was on standby, Kowalski confirmed.
Also on scene was Elkland Search and Rescue, Elk County EMS, DCNR, PGC, Bennetts Valley EMS, St. Marys Ambulance, the American Red Cross out of Bradford, and PennDOT.
Herzing was sure to note that DCNR could not take on situations such as these if it weren’t for the dedication of the volunteer firefighters.
Even battling flames up to 20-plus feet in the air on the rough terrain, Kowalski said the responding crews were willing and determined to take on the challenges.
All fire departments are struggling with the lack of younger members, he added, who are needed to replace the older ones. The importance of these volunteers is crucial, and this situation is a great example of that.
Outpouring of community support
Responders on scene received many prayers, words of kindness and donations from the local community throughout this call, Kowalski said.
GetGo Cafe and Market of St. Marys donated 10 cases of water, as well as an individual from Sinnamahoning; Benezette United Methodist Church opened its doors for personnel and anyone in need; and Weedville Wesleyan Church donated money for food, to name a few.
“There were lots of prayers for our safety and well-being while we were on that call. That means the world to us to see that, and to get that support,” said Kowalski.
Kowalski also noted the two shifts of 911 dispatchers at the Elk County Office of Emergency Services, who did a “phenomenal job” at handling the requests they received during this call.
A word from the Pennsylvania Game Commission
Both Herzing and Kowalski confirmed that this wildfire was not started due to a controlled burn done by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, as was circulating on social media outlets.
In a timely statement, the PGC responded:
“The Pennsylvania Game Commission joins the rest of the community in sharing our appreciation for the first responders on scene tonight, working to get the wildfire under control in the Benezette area.
“The agency only conducts prescribed fires on state game lands, and it did not conduct one in the Benezette area today (Wednesday), as is being (incorrectly) reported on various social media pages.”
