| Multiple Departments Extinguish Hay Fire |
On August 23, 2011 at 1110 hours, a passerby called the Ontario County 911 Center and reported seeing
hay bales on fire on Lester Road near County Road 23. The Oaks Corners Fire Dept. was dispatched.
Chief Brian Maney & Deputy Chief Mike Reifsteck were enroute within two minutes. Chief Maney smelled
smoke at his residence and could see smoke from a mile away. He called on location a minute later and
reported heavy smoke showing approximately a half mile off the road. While apparatus was responding,
Chief Maney assumed command and reported that the land owner at 2120 Lester Road had been
conducting an agricultural burn which was not under control and creating a heavy smoke condition in the
neighborhood. He also reported that at least 20 large round bales of hay were currently burning and that
they would be extinguishing the fire.
Deputy Chief Reifsteck arrived on scene and was placed in charge of operations. Brush Truck 3251
stretched a forestry line to stop the fire from spreading to additional bales of hay. Pumper/Tanker 3231 &
Engine 3211 were staged at the roadway to fill brush trucks as Incident Command was not sure if they
would be too heavy to operate in the field. There was also concern with operating the pumpers in the
heavy smoke. Command requested a non-emergency response of a brush truck, tanker, manpower, and
an ambulance from Phelps. This was quickly upgraded to an emergency response as winds increased and
the fire threatened to spread to an additional 45 bales. The North Side Fire Dept. was placed on stand-by
in their station. Command also requested an additional alarm from Oaks Corners for Rescue 3271,
manpower, and EMS personnel for firefighter rehab as it was a warm day and firefighters were operating in
SCBA due to heavy smoke.
As the stubborn fire continued to burn, and realizing a need for manpower, Command requested a
mini-pumper and manpower from the Geneva Fire Dept. Phelps Brush Truck 2151 arrived as 3251 ran out
of water and began pumping into two forestry lines. Geneva Mini-Pumper 1151 placed a third forestry line
and a 1 3/4" attack line into operation. It was determined that the ground was stable enough for heavy
apparatus and a portable pond operation was set up at Mini-Pumper 1151. 1151 drafted from the pond for
the duration of the incident and was fed be tankers from Oaks Corners and Phelps. Engine 3211
responded to a fill site on Lester Road to fill tankers. The North Side crew was sent to the scene for
manpower on Rescue 1971. Firefighters spent the next few hours pulling apart the bales of hay to
extinguish the fire. A tractor with a bucket was also used to move around the hay and provide a fire break
between the burning hay and the hay that was not yet burning.
The Phelps Ambulance crew responded and provided EMS stand-by as well as firefighter rehab. Ontario
County Deputy Fire Coordinator Scott DeCook (Car-7) responded to the scene and was placed in charge
of water supply. Command activated the Oaks Corners FD Auxiliary who provided food and drink at the
firehouse following the incident. The fire was extinguished by 1430 hours.
Fire stand-by coverage for departments on scene was provided by the Marbletown, Port Gibson, Border
City, and Nester Hose (Geneva) fire departments.
Photos by OCFD Photographer Rick Maney.
hay bales on fire on Lester Road near County Road 23. The Oaks Corners Fire Dept. was dispatched.
Chief Brian Maney & Deputy Chief Mike Reifsteck were enroute within two minutes. Chief Maney smelled
smoke at his residence and could see smoke from a mile away. He called on location a minute later and
reported heavy smoke showing approximately a half mile off the road. While apparatus was responding,
Chief Maney assumed command and reported that the land owner at 2120 Lester Road had been
conducting an agricultural burn which was not under control and creating a heavy smoke condition in the
neighborhood. He also reported that at least 20 large round bales of hay were currently burning and that
they would be extinguishing the fire.
Deputy Chief Reifsteck arrived on scene and was placed in charge of operations. Brush Truck 3251
stretched a forestry line to stop the fire from spreading to additional bales of hay. Pumper/Tanker 3231 &
Engine 3211 were staged at the roadway to fill brush trucks as Incident Command was not sure if they
would be too heavy to operate in the field. There was also concern with operating the pumpers in the
heavy smoke. Command requested a non-emergency response of a brush truck, tanker, manpower, and
an ambulance from Phelps. This was quickly upgraded to an emergency response as winds increased and
the fire threatened to spread to an additional 45 bales. The North Side Fire Dept. was placed on stand-by
in their station. Command also requested an additional alarm from Oaks Corners for Rescue 3271,
manpower, and EMS personnel for firefighter rehab as it was a warm day and firefighters were operating in
SCBA due to heavy smoke.
As the stubborn fire continued to burn, and realizing a need for manpower, Command requested a
mini-pumper and manpower from the Geneva Fire Dept. Phelps Brush Truck 2151 arrived as 3251 ran out
of water and began pumping into two forestry lines. Geneva Mini-Pumper 1151 placed a third forestry line
and a 1 3/4" attack line into operation. It was determined that the ground was stable enough for heavy
apparatus and a portable pond operation was set up at Mini-Pumper 1151. 1151 drafted from the pond for
the duration of the incident and was fed be tankers from Oaks Corners and Phelps. Engine 3211
responded to a fill site on Lester Road to fill tankers. The North Side crew was sent to the scene for
manpower on Rescue 1971. Firefighters spent the next few hours pulling apart the bales of hay to
extinguish the fire. A tractor with a bucket was also used to move around the hay and provide a fire break
between the burning hay and the hay that was not yet burning.
The Phelps Ambulance crew responded and provided EMS stand-by as well as firefighter rehab. Ontario
County Deputy Fire Coordinator Scott DeCook (Car-7) responded to the scene and was placed in charge
of water supply. Command activated the Oaks Corners FD Auxiliary who provided food and drink at the
firehouse following the incident. The fire was extinguished by 1430 hours.
Fire stand-by coverage for departments on scene was provided by the Marbletown, Port Gibson, Border
City, and Nester Hose (Geneva) fire departments.
Photos by OCFD Photographer Rick Maney.
