Multiple field fires keep firefighters busy
The unseasonably warm temperatures and wind have kept area fire departments busy.
At 11:24 a.m. on Feb. 24, the Elliott, Grant, and Red Oak fire departments and the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency were dispatched to 1263 O Ave for a reported grass fire.
The wind picked up and embers from a previously burnt brush pile, ignited standing crop grass on fire. Crews were able to extinguish the fire with no incident. The warmer temps did create a very muddy environment for suppression crews. No injuries reported.
Later that day, at around 3 p.m., the Villisca, Stanton, and Red Oak fire departments and the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency were dispatched to 2472 110th St. in rural Page County for a reported field fire.
Fire crews made a quick knock down, even though they were fighting through a very muddy environment. No injuries were reported. The departments were assisted by Montgomery County Communications.
On Wednesday, Feb. 26 at around 12:30 p.m., the Elliott, Grant, and Red Oak fire departments were dispatched to 2602 140th St. for a reported field fire.
Embers from nearby brush piles had been blown into a fence line causing a grass fire. Fire crews quickly extinguished the fire without incident. The departments were assisted by the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency and Montgomery County Communications.
Later that afternoon at around 4 p.m., Red Oak, Stanton, and the Elliott fire departments were dispatched to 1973 E. Ave. for a reported grass fire.
Fire crews arrived on scene and discovered fire had spread from a burn pile area, spread south along a fence line and into a grove of trees.
Fire crews were split into a northern suppression team and a southern suppression team. This brought the fire under control without incident. No injuries were reported.
The departments were assisted by the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and Montgomery County Communications.
Montgomery County EMA coordinator Brian Hamman issued the following statement in regards to the multiple grass fires.
“If you took advantage of the much needed snow cover and burn off tree piles and debris over the last several days, make sure to continuously check them over the coming days as noted above, crews responded to two separate field fires as a result of previously burned piles that rekindled and caught nearby ground on fire,” said Hamman. “Warm weather and windy conditions will continue to allow these to rekindle over the coming days, so please be aware. The ground conditions to fight these fires have become extremely difficult due to muddy ground conditions although the grass and top fuels are dry and will burn and spread rapidly.”