Volunteers from the West Grove Fire Company units from nine other fire companies fighting a huge fire at the Fair Hill Nature Center in Cecil County Maryland on Saturday.

Originally dispatched as a barn fire, arriving units found two large open pole barn structures 50 feet wide by 500 foot long fully involved in fire, with similarly sized piles of large stacked hay bales stored outside also burning.

The West Grove Fire Company was originally asked to send Tanker 22, but then Ladder 22 was added on the assist call. Ladder 22 arrived and located itself on the east fire front. However, the scene was in a very rural area without hydrants, and despite efforts by more than 75 firefighters, there wasn't a water supply available to fully supply all units.

Two draft sites were established to supply a 2,600' water supply line of 4" hose, as well as a draft site at nearby ponds. Both draft sites were used to supply eight water tankers hauling water to scene as well as the supply line. That dual water source strategy provided water for two ladder trucks and numerous hand lines to provide cooling along the edges of this huge fire, mainly to protect nearby occupied structures. Three field/brush trucks were also used to contain fire spread mainly on the southeast corner.

Tanker 22 joined the water shuttle operation -- Chief Engineer Lary Hicks hauled 36,000 gallons of water. Meanwhile, when a fire pumper from Rising Sun failed, Ladder 22 was pressed into service in the large diameter hose line, pumping for several hours to supply the fire from the east side.

At it's height, the fire ground had four ladder trucks, six pumpers, three bush trucks, two ambulances, and eight tankers.

WGFC units were called into service at approximately 1:30pm and released nearly six hours later.

More information on this fire can be found at: http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2014/10/18/fire-reported-fair-hill-nature-center/17506395/