BANKS TOWNSHIP -- A mine fire in Carbon County, near Tresckow, has been burning for years.
The Department of Environmental Protection can't fight this fire as it normally would and it's all because of bats.
The Indiana Bat and the Northern Long-Eared Bat are protected by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The animals are living deep inside the mine shaft where the underground fire is burning. People nearby found out about the bats at a DEP meeting about the fire.
"First time I've ever heard about these endangered bats in the area," said Kristin Fergel of Jeansville.
Officials now have to come up with a plan to fight that fire and keep those bats safe. That has people who live in the area asking the question: who's more important, people or the bats?
"I thought people are more important," said Fergel.
"We're kind of here too, so they need to figure out which one outweighs the other at some point," said Andreas Ziller of Jeansville.
Game Commission biologists said the bats are on the threatened and endangered species list, so they're protected by law. They also help control the insect population.
DEP officials said it might take a while to figure out how to attack the fire and not the bats.
"I'm hoping that it's not just another excuse that they're trying to give the people as far as a reason why they can't put the fire out," said Ziller.
Residents said they are sick of playing the "wait and see" game. They want the fire out and soon.
"My son asked them last night, well what about Centralia? Are we going to have to evacuate like they did and she told him, 'We have to wait and see,'" said Fergel.
DEP officials do plan to fight the fire, but they're not sure when.
It's now just a matter of figuring out who much it will cost and how to save those bats.