Area Agencies Extinguish Fire; Public Urged to be Fire-Aware
Area Agencies Extinguish Fire; Public Urged to be Fire-Aware
A scorched landscape tells the tale of how severely a fire can blaze through the parched grasslands as this region plunges deeper into drought conditions. The fire that resulted in firefighters from Summit, Marvin, Wilmot and Corona banding together to extinguish it, ocurred on Tuesday, July 25, at about 3 p.m. Located four miles north, northwest of Marvin, the fire was at 463 Avenue, between 143 and 144 Street. The firefighters battled the wind-driven blaze in 100-degree heat. Years of compacted vegetation created conditions which kept causing flareups, according to Kevin Schuelke, Grant County emergency management director. Personnel from the Grant County sheriff’s office were also on the scene.
Much of Grant County, as well as parts of Roberts and Codington were reclassified from a moderate drought rating to the severe drought category between July 18 and 25. “We currently are experiencing very dry conditions,” Schuelke said. “And ask the public to be fire-aware. Even though we are not under a burn ban yet, please use common sense. We strongly encourage holding off any open burning until the area receives precipitation.” He noted that components that create fire hazards are high and that the warmer-than-normal temperature and dry conditions, coupled with warm winds, combine severely, and even green vegetation will now burn.
