Controlled Burn Planned in Bellefonte Area for Firefighter Training

Smoke and flames are expected to be visible in the Benner Pike area near Bellefonte during a firefighter training exercise on Saturday.

The Bellefonte Fire Department will use the vacant house at 116 Paradise Road in Benner Township for a controlled burn during the exercise, which is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to Undine and Logan fire companies.

“The training involves systematically lighting fires in the structure and extinguishing them using fire department personnel,” the two fire companies wrote in Facebook posts. “This training is extremely beneficial for firefighters and better prepares them for when structural fires do occur.”

Instructors from the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy will supervise the training, and all necessary permits have been secured, according to the fire companies.

Part of Paradise Road will be restricted to one lane beginning at 7 a.m. Fire police will assist with directing traffic, and drivers are asked to use caution if traveling in the area.

The property to be used for the controlled burn is located across from McDonald’s and near the Benner Pike intersection.

It was once part of the Rockview state prison property until the commonwealth sold it in 2022 to the Centre County Industrial Development Authority, which in turn sold it to its current owner TD2 LLC. A developer discussed plans with the county and township in 2024 to raze the two-story house for construction of an Arby’s restaurant and conducted a traffic impact study for the project, but a land development plan was never submitted.