28-01-2025
Plymouth County grass fire reminds Siouxlanders to use caution during dry, windy conditions
PLYMOUTH COUNTY, Iowa (KCAU) — Fire officials are reminding Siouxlanders to be careful during these dry, windy conditions as the risk for grass fires remain high.
The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department responded to a grass fire in Plymouth County Tuesday around 1 p.m. The fire was located on Mesquite Avenue between 150th and 160th streets north of Le Mars.
Steve Schwartz, the assistant fire chief for Le Mars Fire, told KCAU 9 that the likely cause was a burn pit that was left unattended. Wind likely blew ambers into a hollow tree, and the flames spread to a nearby field.
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Fire crews were able to extinguish the grass fire before it spread to a nearby home. Schwartz said this serves as a reminder to exercise caution if you're going to burn something.
'Make sure you stay by them and watch them. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher, water hose, water tank, some kind of water thing so if it starts spreading on you, you have some way of putting it out,' Schwartz said. 'Because it's going to take us 10 to 15 minutes to get to you, and by that time a fire can spread astronomically.'
Several Siouxland counties were issued red flag warnings for Tuesday due to dry conditions and high winds.
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