x
Breaking News
More () »

After the Wildfire

DELAWARE STATE FOREST –The burned-out areas in the Delaware State Forest in Pike and Monroe counties are already starting to bounce back. The so-called 16...
Sequence 2

DELAWARE STATE FOREST --The burned-out areas in the Delaware State Forest in Pike and Monroe counties are already starting to bounce back.

The so-called 16 Mile Fire spread from the Canadensis area to an area with more than 100 summer cabins known as Pine Flats, burning 8,000 acres in its path, making it the largest wildfire in the state since 1990.

Authorities say someone intentionally set the fire last month in the state forest. It burned out of control for several days until firefighters got the upper hand little more than one week ago.

"We had a lot of low relative humidity, a lot of dry conditions leading up to that fire," said District State Forester Tim Dugan.

Now parts of the state forest look charred and it crunches under your feet. Dugan points to native wildflowers that are already popping up and deer that have moved back in as signs the forest is already coming back.

"We anticipate Mother Nature will take its course and rebound quite well in these areas that have been burned," he said.

Some cabins were lost to fire and overall the cost of fighting it was more than $1 million. Most of the damage was done to private property, but more than 100 cabins were saved.

As that wildfire closed in on some cabins, firefighters moved in and used a bulldozer to build up earth as a barrier stopping it in its tracks.

The ground has now been leveled and seeds spread to help the regrowth which, according to Dugan, can be good for the forest as some species use the opportunity to grow back into the ecosystem.

Earl Moore cast his line in a stream that cuts through the state forest, thankful the fire was contained.

"Wouldn't be too long and I wouldn't be able to be out fishing," he said.

There is still a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of whoever set the wildfires in the Poconos.

Before You Leave, Check This Out