DANVILLE — A pyromaniac who set a total of 11 fires in three counties will spend the next 12 to 25 years in state prison, a sentence that a prosecutor and fire officials said was too lenient.

Chester Cyphers, 52, of White Hall, a volunteer firefighter, was sentenced by President Judge Scott Naus on 11 arson charges, simple assault and aggravated assault Monday morning in Montour County Court. One of the fires left Wayne Hawley, a Warrior Run firefighter, with permanent spinal injuries.

District Attorney Robert Buehner Jr. was not happy with the sentence.

“I will not criticize the judge at a sentencing because it is a very difficult job,” he said, “but with that being said, I plan to appear at every parole hearing he has to encourage the parole board to keep Cyphers incarcerated until he’s no longer a danger.”

Two mental evaluations deemed Cyphers a pyromaniac, someone who has irresistible impulses to start fires.

“He is going to be dangerous for as long as he draws a breath,” the prosecutor said.

Warrior Run Area Fire Chief Mark Burrows said, “The sentence is not what I had anticipated. I thought it would be more than this.”

He attended the sentencing with fellow members of the fire department. Also in attendance were several members of the state police.

“It was obvious in court today. He was found by two psychiatrists to be a pyromaniac, and there is no treatment, no magic pill for this,” Burrows continued. “In 12 years, he’ll be 65, and he could be out setting fires again.

“Even after he injured Captain Hawley, his friend, he showed no remorse. He kept setting fires.”

Cyphers’ lawyer, George Lepley of Williamsport, told Judge Naus that the probation office’s recommended sentence was 18 to 45 years.

He asked Naus to reconsider the suggested jail time because of “long-standing life issues that were never addressed.”

As a juvenile, Cyphers was admitted to Danville State Hospital, but was removed too early by his father, Lepley said.

He admitted that heinous acts were committed, but asked the judge to give Cyphers credit for avoiding homes.

Cyphers stood in front of the room and kept his head lowered throughout the hearing. He was shaking as the attorneys spoke.