www.johnsonpublications.zenfolio.com Brooke Robertson | Johnson Publications
GVFD firefighters Dustin Mittan and Bob Hochstein extinguish the flames of a ditch fire east of Grant on Friday, March 9 while Jason Noyes drives the truck around the flames.
GVFD responds to fires
Eight firefighters with the Grant Volunteer Fire Department responded to a ditch fire just east of Grant Friday afternoon, March 9.
Located directly west of the Highway 23 and 61 junction on the north side of Highway 23, GVFD Assistant Fire Chief Fred Reichert said they suspect a passing train started the fire that burned approximately half an acre.
The crew was able to extinguish the flames immediately, staying on scene for a little under an hour.
Strike force team to McCook
A strike force team was requested by the Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department (RWWRFD) to relieve firefighters from a wildfire in McCook last Tuesday, March 6.
Reichert said the strike force team was developed last spring and includes four to six grass rigs, or type-6 engines.
The strike team, which included six departments from Grant, Madrid, Wallace, Imperial, Keystone/Leymone and Ogallala, left around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. After being briefed on the fire, they took over and the local firefighters were able to go home for the night.
Reichert said the fire was predominately out upon their arrival, and their duties consisted of monitoring hot spots and patrolling the area to make sure nothing flared up again. They worked through the night and arrived home around 10 a.m. the next morning.
Attending from the Grant department were Reichert, Rick Dreiling, Jason Noyes, Casandra Klima and Scott Knoles. Madrid sent Trent Harger, Pat Aerni and Andy Cantrell and Wallace sent Lynn Swanson and Tom Tobiasson.
Chief Bill Elliott of the RWWRFD said Wednesday, March 7 that wind knocked a power line into a shed about two miles from McCook, and sparks from the resulting short ignited dry brush below. He estimated that 210 acres were charred.
Officials ordered an evacuation of the northwest corner of the city on Tuesday because fire was spreading rapidly as winds gusted up to 50 mph. Students and staff at an elementary school were evacuated to a high school several blocks south.
Sixteen people were treated at the local hospital for burns and smoke inhalation.