Fire tower stands guard over Forbes State Forest
High atop the Chestnut Ridge, off Skyline Drive, sits the Pondfield Fire Tower, an 80-foot structure that serves as a visual aid in detecting fires.
The sole tower in use in the Braddock Division of the Forbes State Forest, it offers a panoramic view that enables foresters to see into parts of Maryland and West Virginia -- and on a clear day, to the peaks of buildings in Pittsburgh.
Erected in 1937, the tower once was manned full time in the busy fire seasons of spring and fall. A cabin was built on site for the fire deputy to sleep in, and he climbed the steps daily to watch over the forest from on high.
"We had someone here until the 1960s," said Lee Jordan, forest fire inspector with the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Now the cabin and grounds are used "for historical purposes," he said.
Most fire towers have been replaced by reconnaissance planes that are dispatched when the danger of fire is greatest.
"We have a spotter plane that alerts us," Jordan said. "He goes up on very hot, dry days, and they really help us out a lot. They tell us where to go, so we can get out there quickly."
The plane flies from Latrobe through the New Florence area, then down across Fayette County, Jordan said.
The Bureau of Forestry employs 30 deputies in this area, but also has assistance from fire wardens and volunteer firefighters.
When smoke is spotted, one of the deputies or volunteers will climb the fire tower to verify a blaze.
"We couldn't do this without all the volunteers," Jordan said. "The fire volunteers and fire wardens are very important to us."
Fire season is already under way, and Jordan said about one dozen fires already have been reported and extinguished.
"On an average, we have about 1,200 fires and lose about 5,000 acres," Jordan said of fires that break out throughout the state. "The cost is about $500,000."
Jordan added that some years there are more fires, with the state losing as many as 10,000 acres of forest.
"A lot depends on the weather conditions," Jordan said.
The spring fire season runs from March through May, he explained, and the peak fall fire season runs from October through mid-December.
Firefighting has gone high tech, and in addition to snuffing out blazes, fire deputies now are required to carry equipment to the scene of all fires, to gather evidence for use in court.
"Thirty-five percent of our fires are arson," Jordan said, "and another 35 percent are caused from debris burning."
Lightning is a small contributor, along with children's carelessness, campfires, and the public's use of fireworks.
For now, the Pondfield Fire Tower contributes to the forestry department's efforts, but Jordan said fire prevention is still the public's responsibility.
"You have to be careful when you are burning; never leave your fire unattended," he said. "That's when a lot of fires happen.
"People will walk away and the fire will kick in, and then they can't get it under control. And you have to remember that in Pennsylvania, if you start a fire -- even if it is accidental -- you have to pay all costs to extinguish it."
The Pondfield Fire Tower is closed to the public and locked when not in use, but an open house is held every fall so the public can tour the grounds and enjoy the breathtaking views.
