Wind propels large brush fire in Allegheny Township

Fawn police officer Keith Lazaron was at work Tuesday when he received a panicked call from his wife, Jessica, telling him he needed to get home as soon as possible.

Strong winds had propelled a large brush fire toward their home in Allegheny Township.

When Lazaron arrived home about 20 minutes later, he said he saw flames as high as 30 feet spreading across the hillside in his backyard. The brush fire was just 50 feet away from his house.

“It’s not really what you want to come home to,” Lazaron said.

Fortunately for the Lazarons, the brush fire didn’t advance any closer to their home. By then, firefighters from multiple Alle-Kiski Valley companies were on the ground working to put out the large brush fire, and a helicopter hovering above sprayed water on the flames.

The fire off Kepple Road was reported just after 11 a.m., according to a Westmoreland County emergency dispatcher. Lazaron estimated that seven or eight acres were touched by the fire — the hillside of his property is completely singed, and his nearby home received severe smoke damage.

Firefightersremained on the scene through Tuesday afternoon. Firefighters had traversed the hillside on ATVs, emptying water tanks onto the brush. Brush trucks were being called as the fire appeared to be rekindling in certain areas.

Fire officials could not be reached.