On Saturday, June 13, 2020, firefighters from Bay District VFD Company 9 were dispatched for an outside fire at the St. Mary’s River State Park Parking Area on Norris Road in Great Mills, at approximately 2:35 p.m.
Crews arrived on the scene to find multiple areas approximately 10 feet by 10 feet on fire and spreading. Firefighters requested additional units to assist.
Firefighters from Bay District, Hollywood, and NAS Patuxent River responded along with the assistance of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Personnel extinguished the fires in approximately 45 minutes, with all units returning to service in approximately one hour and 40 minutes.
Just 10 minutes after leaving the scene. Firefighters from Mechanicsville, Seventh District, Bay District, NAS Patuxent River, Valley Lee and Hollywood were dispatched back to the same area for a large brush fire in the woods between Norris Road and Rutherford Boulevard in Great Mills,. The 911 caller was a resident in the area who was jogging and observed the woods on fire.
Firefighters arrived on the scene and staged in the parking lot of the St. Mary’s River State Park on Norris Road again.
One volunteer firefighter responded into the woods on his personally owned ATV to scout the area due to no smoke or fire being visible. After approximately 10 minutes, firefighters made access to the area approximately half a mile away from the staging area in the densely wooded area and reported a quarter of an acre of woods on fire, which then spread to half an acre of land.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland State Police Aviation Division and Helicopter Trooper 7, the St. Mary’s Department Of Public Works, and the Maryland Forest Service responded along with bulldozers to assist firefighters.
Crews extinguished the fire in approximately two hours, with all units operating on the scene for over three hours.
No injuries were reported, however, one emergency response vehicle was damaged due to the density of the woods, and will be out of service for an unknown amount of time.
The fires are under investigation.
Some photos are courtesy of the Seventh District, Bay District, and Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Departments!
