Meredith personnel were alerted at 18:59 of a vehicle fire on Colby Road in the Chemung area of Town. Colby Road is an unmaintained Class 6 road.

The caller stated to 911 that his van was burning and beginning to spread to the surrounding brush.
A crew responded from the Meredith Center Station with 14 Forestry 2, a new truck which was recently placed in service, arrived on the scene at 19:23 and began extinguishment efforts. 14 Engine 4 and 14 Forestry 1 responded from the Downtown Station to supplement operations with manpower and additional water. Downtown crews arrived at 19:33. New Hampton’s 17 Engine 1 also responded as automatic mutual aid.

A delivery driver was trying to make his way to his next delivery on Pinnacle Ridge Road and was routed by his GPS unit to use Colby Road, which has not been maintained in decades is today nothing more than a trail. The vehicle was located approximately one-half mile into the woods. When crews arrived, the van was fully involved along with a 10’ x 30’ area of brush on both sides of the vehicle spreading through the woods.
The worth of having a new 14 Forestry 2 in the Meredith Center Station proved invaluable in that a quick response kept the fire spread to a smaller area versus a large woods fire that would have required mutual aid for more personnel and apparatus.

Meredith and New Hampton companies were in service at 20:42.