The cause of a brush fire in Snyder Township that scorched about 5 acres of woods off Schoch Hollow Road remains under investigation.
Fire fighters from Tyrone were called to Schoch Hollow Road, a mile-long spur off Route 453 just west of Tyrone Borough, at about 2:30 p.m. for a brush fire that started behind a residence, according to Blazing Arrow Hook & Ladder Fire Company Chief Jeffrey Watson.
It took about two and a half hours for firefighters, including Tyrone's Neptune Fire Company and crews from Bald Eagle, Tipton and Bellwood, to contain the fire the spread to the woods behind several homes on the road.
Watson noted fire crews attempted to hem in the flames by creating a fire line but the dry, windy conditions pushed the fire up the leaf-littered hillside despite firefighters efforts. Ultimately, the volunteers were able to tamp down the flames and by 5 p.m. about a dozen forest fire crewmembers were on scene to put out hot spots and clear up debris to minimize the chance of a flare up.
There were no injuries, firefighters said.
David Lynch, chief fire warden for the Northern Blair County Forest Fire Crew, said a local forest fire specialist was expected to visit the fire scene Monday to investigate.
The crew wrapped up in Schoch Hollow, which was closed down for several hours Saturday until about 8:30 p.m., Lynch noted.
With the National Weather Service issuing a "red flag warning" because of low relative humidity, warming temperatures and winds between 10 and 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph, Lynch pointed out conditions were prime for brush fires over the weekend. Firefighters were called to a brush fire Friday afternoon near East Freedom, Lynch said, and brush fires were reported in Clearfield and Centre counties as well.
