Brownell Mountain Fire Contained
A fire on top of the mountain spotted by aircraft Saturday afternoon was finally extinguished Sunday with help of Hinesburg Fire Department, multiple other departments and a helicopter.
Fire crews from six towns, including the Hinesburg Fire Department, and the Vermont Wildland Fire team worked for two days putting out a fire that broke out Saturday afternoon on Brownell Mountain in Williston.
The fire covered an acre or so on top of the mountain. Steep terrain and waning daylight prompted a special request for a firefighting helicopter which was staged in Lebanon, NH.
Vermont Wildland Fire Specialist Devin Healy said that the helicopter, which dumped 2,000 gallons of water at a time, was unable to extinguish the fire but was essential in keeping it from spreading.
“The soils are so dry right now that the helicopter is not going to put the fire out, Healy told reporters. “It bought us the evening to assemble the crew to run a hose up to the fire.”
Setting up a pump at a small pond at the base of the mountain, fire crews ran a hose all the way up to the fire and and finally extinguished it late Sunday.
The fire most probably was started by humans, Healy said, and is a reminder of our drought conditions and the state-imposed ban on all outdoor fires.
“We need to be extra vigilant during this time,” Healy told NBC5-TV. “Even if we get a little bit of rain, don’t expect the state’s posture to (change) because it is so dry.
“It’s going to take seven to eight inches over the next month to bring us back to normal.”
The fire was spotted by an airplane which called it into Burlington International Airport traffic controllers.
Assisting Williston firefighters were Essex, Hinesburg, Underhill-Jericho and Charlotte fire departments and Williston police. Shelburne Communications Center coordinated radio traffic between all the departments.