POND EDDY, NY — The Lumberland Voluntary Fire Department got a 911 call around 1:30 p.m. on April 18, when thick smoke started billowing down Route 97 in Pond Eddy next to the Delaware River.

A brush fire had started in a yard next to the river, and was spreading.

The Lumberland Voluntary Fire Department responded, and hosed down the fire burning along the river front.

The Yulan Fire Department arrived, providing help with increased water flow.

Lumberland Fire Chief James Stamler explained different capacity pumps are used in putting down fires. Some water was drawn from the river next to the fire, but it would not have had large enough flow to put the fire down.

“The small pump draws water at 2,000 gallons per minute, but to put down large fires, you need a flow of 15,000 to 20,000 gallons per minute,” Stamler said.

Yulan Fire Department brought water they drew from nearby Jerry’s Three River Campgrounds.

What caused the fire was not immediately known, and Stamler indicated that forest rangers who were first at the scene are responsible for the investigation and issuing any possible tickets. Calls to forest rangers were not returned by press time.

There is a burn ban in place across New York State through May 15.

The fire department stayed on the scene until 7 p.m. to make sure the fire did not reignite.