Lyndonville Fire Battles Three Simultaneous Brush/Field Fires – March 31, 2006
Just before noon on a sunny, fairly calm Friday, March 31, 2006, the Lyndonville Fire Department was dispatched to what was to become the first of three simultaneous brush fires utilizing 14 agencies from Orleans and Niagara Counties.
At 11:56 Lyndonville Fire was dispatched to a reported brush/field fire at 11975 Platten Road. Lyndonville 3 immediately called enroute and arrived on scene at 11:57. Lyndonville 3 reported a small but growing brush/field fire behind the three homes located at the address given. Lyndonville 1 called enroute and requested East Shelby’s brush truck (East Shelby 25) mutual aid to the scene. The air temperature was in the low 70s; the wind had suddenly kicked up to 15 mph and continued blowing relentlessly out of the southwest. Initial attempts at containment were frustrated by the uncooperative field conditions and the changing weather conditions. Lyndonville 3 surveyed the field and observed a barn and old farm house approximately 1500 feet ahead of the wind-fanned flames. Lyndonville 1 relocated to that farmhouse property on the Ward Road to survey the area and determine the need for additional resources. Mutual aid was requested from Ridgeway (manpower), Barker (brush truck), and Medina (EMS standby). Lyndonville 31, responding to the Platten Road call, was redirected to the Ward Road farm house to stop the advancing flames on the house and barn. Fighting against time, Lyndonville 31 was able to put a stop to the wall of flame prior to either the house or barn sustaining damage. The wind continued to drive the head of the fire to the Northeast with legs extending east and west towards a hedgerow. Orleans 4, initially operating Lyndonville 31, was now able to assume his coordinator role and assist Lyndonville 1 with additional mutual aid calls.
At 12:32, as Lyndonville 1 relocated to a more Northerly location on Ward Road, Orleans County Fire Control received and dispatched the second reported brush fire near a barn at 1165 North Lyndonville Road. Lyndonville 1 remained in command of the Platten Road fire while Lyndonville 3 responded to and assumed command of the North Lyndonville Road fire. Carlton, initially called in for Mutual Aid to the first fire, was re-routed to the North Lyndonville Road fire. Orleans 1 responded and assisted at this fire and coordinated mutual aid for Lyndonville 3. Numerous pieces of retired farm equipment, several tires, and various forms of brush and grass were involved. Due to the nature and landscape of the North Lyndonville Road fire, brush trucks were required to control and extinguish the persistent fire. Companies operating at this location included: Carlton, Olcott, Barre, Clarendon, and Shelby.
At 12:48, Orleans County Fire Control dispatched Lyndonville Fire to the third brush fire located at 1131 Morrison Road. Orleans 1 left the North Lyndonville Road fire and responded along with Ridgeway 51. The fire was quickly extinguished and these units were re-deployed back to the two remaining scenes.
Meanwhile, at the Platten Road fire, the massive field continued to be consumed, and with the soft soil and hilly landscape the brush trucks were having trouble avoiding getting bogged down. Manpower with Indian tanks, and hand lines extending more than 800 feet were the only way to reach and stop the advance of the fire. The land owner arrived and was able deploy a tractor and a bull dozer to begin to cut a fire break and plow the field to minimize the available field fire fuel. The fire was finally contained, sustaining only the minor loss of the field stubble, and saving the farm house and barn. Although over 240 acres burned—and despite the weather and fire fighting conditions—only 3 firefighters suffered minor injuries: one for a minor hand burn and two for heat related conditions. All were treated on-scene by Medina Ambulance and returned to duty. Units operating at the Platten Road fire included: Lyndonville, Ridgeway, Medina, East Shelby, Barker and Hartland. Additional agencies called as fill-ins included: Middleport, Tri-Town Ambulance and Holley.
At 16:23 all Lyndonville units were back in service with great and sincere appreciation extended to all our mutual aid responding agencies. Lyndonville received excellent support from the Orleans County Fire Dispatchers, Orleans 1 and Orleans 4, and the Lyndonville and Ridgeway Ladies’ Auxiliaries. The causes of all three fires were determined to be accidental in nature, each with a home owner burning a small brush/trash fire that grew larger and out of control due to the increasing winds.