'Intense' fire contained

'Intense' fire contained
Controlled blaze spreads to forest north of Center Pond; firefighters battle flames for 10 hours
By Benning W. De La Mater, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Updated: 04/19/2009 03:09:09 AM EDT


Sunday, April 19
BECKET — A controlled brush fire got out of hand Friday afternoon and sparked a forest fire in a swath of woods north of Center Pond, forcing more than 100 firefighters from 10 towns to battle the blaze for 10 hours.
Becket Fire Chief John Hall said a landowner was clearing and burning wood on his Benton Hill Road property at about 4 p.m. Friday when the fire spread.

The man, whom Hall would not name, received a burning permit from the town.

"I blame it on the dryness," Hall said. "We haven't had much rain at all. The wind came up and just took it."

When the Becket Fire Department arrived on the scene, the fire had already consumed a large area north of Becket Center and Route 8.

Firefighters from Chester, Otis, Blandford, Lee, Hinsdale, Middlefield, Alford, Lanesborough and Adams were called in to assist in the fight.

With water packs strapped to their backs, firefighters rode ATVs into the woods and battled the blaze with shovels and brooms. Hall said the rough forest terrain and high winds made it a tough task.

"The fire got pretty intense in there," he said. "The flames were almost reaching the tops of the trees."

Firefighters were pulled from the woods at 10 p.m. Friday due to darkness but were back in at 6 a.m. Saturday. Department of Conservation and Recreation fire wardens also were on scene yesterday.

Hall surveyed the area from the air Saturday with the


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help of a state police helicopter. The fire was extinguished by 10 a.m. and left nearly 10 acres of forested land scorched.
Due to the dry conditions, Hall has suspended burning in town.

The incident is being investigated. Though the fire never threatened any homes, Hall said if the flames hadn't been contained it could have gotten ugly.

"Those firefighters all deserve a lot of credit," Hall said. "If it had spread, it could have been a catastrophe."

To reach Benning W. De La Mater: (413) 496-6243; bdelamater@berkshireeagle.com.