An April 25 wildfire that appeared to start on Pa. Game Commission land quickly spread to Bethlehem Authority watershed property near Huckleberry Road in Tunkhannock Township, Monroe County.

Local volunteer fire departments responded, but the incident command was taken over by forest fire response personnel from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. In addition to the fire fighters on the ground, a DCNR contracted helicopter was used to drop water on the fire and fire retardant on adjacent land to minimize the spread of the fire. Additionally backfires were also started that limited the spread of the fire.

In all, approximately 290 acres of mostly scrub oak and pitch pine were consumed, of which 90 acres was Authority owned watershed property. The water supply for the City of Bethlehem and eleven surrounding municipalities was never impacted by the wildfire. The affected watershed property is part of the back-up water supply for the City.

DCNR crews were still out most of April 26, monitoring the properties for potential flare-ups. On April 27, an investigative team from DCNR was on site to try to determine where and how the fire started. Results of the investigation indicated that the fire was likely intentionally set. No suspects have been identified

Authority Director Stephen Repasch said some of the property that was burned was actually scheduled for a prescribed burn by the Game Commission and The Nature Conservancy later this summer.

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