Firefighters battle two forest fires at Ohiopyle State Park

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

Fire crews from four Pennsylvania counties and one from West Virginia were fighting two forest fires on opposite sides of Ohiopyle State Park Thursday night.

According to a supervisor at Fayette County 911, a fire was called in at 4:42 p.m. on Dunbar Road and a half hour later a fire was called in the area of Victoria Flats and Rock Spring Road on the Mill Run side of the park.

The 911 supervisor said 20 to 30 fire departments were involved in attacking the two forest fires, with responses from Fayette, Westmoreland, Somerset and Allegheny counties in Pennsylvania and Preston County in West Virginia.

According to WTAE-TV, which sent a helicopter over the area, flames were coming from the trees and thick smoke filled the air.

A Department of Conservation and Natural Resources official told WTAE that the fire near Rock Spring Road was covering about 200 acres. The size of the other fire was not known.

Park Operations Manager Kenneth Bisbee said the Bureau of Forestry is fighting the fires along with local firefighters.

Bisbee said no injuries were reported Thursday evening and firefighters were trying to locate the head of the fire. He said they were hoping the rain that was expected overnight would aid their efforts. 

The fires are in very remote parts of the park and no homes are in jeopardy, Bisbee added.

Bisbee told WTAE that he expected fire crews to be on the scene overnight.