Saturday March, 1 2025 @ 12:42

Nature: Woods Fire Multiple Incidents

• Incident #1 - Address: Ponderosa Dr and Old Furnace Seaford, DE 19973

• Incident #2 – Address:  Susan Beach Road, Laurel, DE  19956

• Incident #3 – Address:  Townsend Road, Millsboro, DE  19966

On Saturday afternoon, March 1^st, the following departments were activated to assisted with fire suppression activities, mutual aid responses, and other specific assignments to assist with the mitigation efforts with woods and brush on Ponderosa Drive and Old Furnace Road in Seaford, Delaware as well as a second significant incident on Susan Beach Road in Laurel, Delaware. Many of the back filled and standby companies were activated to assist or cover other emergency incidents.  These specific departments were requested to the fire scenes:

• Seaford (87) Fire Department

• Blades (71) Fire Department

• Laurel (81) Fire Department

• Georgetown (77) Fire Department

• Bridgeville (72) Fire Department

• Greenwood (78) Fire Department

• Millsboro (85) Fire Department

• Ellendale (75) Fire Department

• Gumboro (79) Fire Department

• Farmington (47) Fire Department

• Delaware State Foresty Services

• Sussex County Command Post

• Sussex County Drone Team

Many of these companies were requested to respond with brush truck, ATV / UTV vehicles, and tankers.

It was mentioned that this Seaford incident started a result of culinary mishap in the woods during the preparation of lunch. The fires were fanned and pushed by advancing winds in the county which was a reason the "red flag conditions" being issued.

Other additional companies were utilized for station cover up assignment which included the following companies:

• Indian River (80) Fire Company

• Dagsboro (73) Fire Company

• Millville (84) Fire Company

• Frankford (76) Fire Company

• Wicomico County Fire Department (multiple units)

• Worcester County Fire Department (multiple units)

• Milton (85) Fire Company

• Bethany Beach (70) Fire Company

• Parsonsburg, MD Fire Company

• Selbyville (88) Fire Company

The Sussex County Emergency Operations Center Command Post was activated and sent to the incident location in the Seaford area.

Emergency response units from Indian River included Tanker 80 which was assigned to provide a standby cover up assignment for the Millsboro (83) Volunteer Fire Company.  This assignment was amended and changed to provided a cover up assignment for the Laurel (81) Fire Department.  This assignment was amended a third time and the tanker was sent to the fire location on Susan Beach Drive west of Laurel for manpower and water resources. 

Once the incident was under control as per Incident Command, Tanker 80 was authorized to return back to the Indian River fire district.  While transferring from Laurel, Tanker 80 was re-assigned to standby Millsboro (83) – Station #1 before being dispatched to the fire on Townsend Road near Harmony Grave Yard.

Illustrated herewith are some photographs of these assignments.

Additional information regarding the Seaford incident may be viewed via the following website:

(1) WRDE News - https://www.coasttv.com/news/large-vegetation-fire-in-seaford-called-for-several-fire-departments/article_a05498bc-f786-11ef-98f3-43a517c21f36.html.