NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, Pa. — Helicopters with DCNR swoop down to the Lehigh River to get water as crews tackle a raging wildfire on the Blue Mountain near Palmerton.
"This is exciting and we want to see it, we hope we never have to see it again. We live close to here and we hike here," said Donna Danner of Treichlers.
The constant trips back to the river caught the attention of many who came to watch crews in action
"I mean, You see it on tv and other places but you don't see it this close to your house, it's kind of scary at the same time," said Lori Mertz of Walnutport.
"The first thing that hit me was it looks like so little water for such a big fire.. you see it on tv and I thought it would be a bigger scoop of water," said Cindy Donovan of Lehighton.
Each scoop of water from the river picks up 80 gallons to throw over the 180 acres of wildfire. People watching say with each trip, they notice a pattern in how the pilot's get the job done.
"When he pulls the bucket up, the water is like all there, so it is like he doesn't want to miss a drop of it," said Danner.
As the thick white smoke continues to pour off the mountain, people say it's a sight they've watched closely since Saturday afternoon.
"It's just a big fireball. Just fire here, there is fire over there, and it's spreading. It's scary," said Mertz.
Crews with DCNR are still investigating what sparked this fire.