Incident: Alton, NH Christian Conference Center
While it’s not confirmed at this time, some of the initial reports for a fire that destroyed 40 cottages at the Alton Christian Conference Center started as a brush fire. It can be confusing with a fire like this, since it could have been a structure fire that extended to brush before being noticed.
It is the largest loss of unattached residential structures in New England in quite a few years. The next closest I can think of or find on a quick search would be the May 22, 1964 Bellflower Street fire in Boston that claimed 19 three deckers.
Alton Christian Conference Center, cabisson
These Christian Camp Meetings were largely built starting around 1865 in New England, and they are poster children for how not to be “FireWise.” Alton is a little different from others which usually own the land and buildings, since here the Center leases lots to the families who own and maintain the individual cottages.
They are atypical compared to most of our rural residential housing, which tends to sit on larger lots surrounded by lawn — a much more defensible space. However they are not unique. Other lakeside cottage communities, campgrounds, and mobile home parks can be found pretty easily that share similar closeness of structures and vegetation.
Alton Christian Conference Center
Where are these in your response area?
Manchester Union Leader story (archive)
Update 19 April 2009:
I had a large set of photos emailed to me, which are available here. Here are some highlights:
Wonder how long it took to get power cut? That’s a tactical issue I hadn’t thought of till I saw the pic…lots of 220v lines to avoid when placing hose lines.
Image you don’t see out of New England often, California or Australia, yes, here not so much in recent history:
