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Neversink Mountain brush fire |
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Written by FF R. Banks and FF W. Lumnychuk
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March 17, 2008 |
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At 16:20 this afternoon, a Reading fire Brush assignment was sent to Neversink Mountain to assist more than 50 county units on a working brush fire threatening homes on the hillside.
 Shortly after 16:00, a brush fire response was sent to the Neversink Mountain above the 10th and South Street Cemetery for a brush fire. Apparatus on the assignment were Brush trucks 1, 2 and 3, along with Eng-1 and Car-9. Multiple county companies and Zone-4 companies also were called in to assist. While crews were enroute a large flume of smoke could be seen coming off the mountain.
All 3 brush units were sent to 10th and South to ascertain the best access to the fire. Car-9 sent Brush 1 and 2 up through the cemetery, while himself and Brush 3 went up the fire trail at 10th and South Sts. Car-9 after realizing that the fire trail above the reservoir was inaccessible at the time took one firefighter with him on foot with a water pack and made their way up to the head of the fire, while crews from the other companies were making their way up the mountain from the cemetery with a hose line. When the chief reached the fire his size up was two very large areas of the mountain were burning and advancing up the mountain at a good pace, and that he needed manpower with water packs and rakes to help slow or stop the fire, due to the lack of fire trail space for vehicles to enter.
A few firefighters along with Car-9 with rakes and a water pack tried to hold the fire and not let it spread up the mountain, were overworked from the fires intensity. Car-9 also called for a city front-end loader to widen the fire trail so more fire vehicles could make it up the mountain, one was sent to assist in getting the trail a little wider and so wider trucks could get through to help out. Finally a brush jeep from Zone-4 made it up the mountain and helped stop the fire. A short time later a few more vehicles got up the trail and one came down from the top of the mountain to assist.
Companies were on the scene for an extended period of time performing overhaul, with the assistance from the State forestry crew. Thanks to FF. A. Kutz for sending us the photo.
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