(Area) Firefighters spent Monday afternoon battling several large grass fires fueled by dry conditions. The grass fires broke out in Pottawattamie County near Stuart and in Union County near Afton.
In Stuart, a brush pile fire ignited by a homeowner in the 400 block of South Harrison Street escalated into a grass fire, causing damage to the home. Two City of Stuart employees, who also serve as firefighters, spotted the fire, reported it, and quickly retrieved a fire truck from the station. Thanks to their quick actions and the Stuart Fire Department’s rapid response, the fire was contained before it could spread to nearby properties. Stuart Fire officials are reminding residents that anyone choosing to burn should have an adequate water source available at all times and never leave fires unattended. Dry conditions can enable fires to spread rapidly; residents are urged to exercise extreme caution or consider safer alternatives.
Another fire broke out in Pottawattamie County near Interstate 80, around mile marker 12, close to McClelland. The blaze was reported shortly after 1:30 p.m. Multiple agencies responded, including McClelland Fire, along with crews from Underwood, Lewis Township, and Treynor. By about 2:45 p.m., Pottawattamie County Emergency Management confirmed that on-site resources were sufficient and the fire was under control.
In Union County, the Afton Volunteer Fire Department requested mutual aid from the Creston Fire Department around 2 p.m. after two small roadside fires along Highway 34, between Tulip Avenue and Umbrella Avenue, quickly spread into the timber of the Talmage Hill Wildlife Area. Additional assistance was provided by the Murray Volunteer Fire Department and the Osceola Fire Department. Firefighters faced difficult conditions, particularly on the south side of the fire, where dry grass and strong winds pushed the flames north into the timber. Approximately 100 acres burned in total. One firefighter was injured, treated, and later released from Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston. While the cause of the fire has not been confirmed, a 911 caller reported it may have been sparked by a discarded cigarette. Authorities are reminding drivers to properly extinguish cigarettes and note that Union County remains under a burn ban.
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