BROOKINGS COUNTY — A pair of fires on Saturday afternoon — one near Volga, the other near Aurora — kept area firefighters busy, but no injuries were reported in either incident.
“With the ongoing lack of moisture and unseasonably warm temperatures this spring, residents are strongly encouraged to use caution when conducting any outdoor burning,” Assistant Sheriff Dave Biteler told The Brookings Register on March 30.
He said that, before initiating a controlled or prescribed burn, a call to the local fire department to discuss current conditions can help prevent unintended fire spread and reduce the odds of an emergency response.
“Sheriff Marty Stanwick, along with local emergency management and Brookings County commissioners, remain in close communication as conditions evolve,” Biteler said. “Should fire risk increase to a concerning level, a burn ban may be implemented.”
Tree pit fire
The first call came at 3:33 p.m. from 46237 U.S. Highway 14 just west of Volga and involved a report of fire and smoke coming from a pit and tree pile at the rural residence, according to a March 30 news release from the Brookings County Sheriff’s Office. The Volga Fire Department responded initially, then requested mutual aid from the Sinai Fire Department for additional water support.
“The property owner reported that a controlled burn had been conducted on March 18 to dispose of trees in a pit,” Biteler wrote. “The fire had burned for approximately 12 hours before being extinguished at that time. Due to strong winds in the area on March 28, it is believed the fire reignited.”
He noted that the property is unoccupied, as it’s being renovated. No dollar total for damage was reported. Firefighters were on scene for roughly one and a half hours.
Railroad fire
The second call involved a grass fire near the southwest rail loop at Valero in Aurora, and it came in at 3:58 p.m.
Firefighters from Aurora and Brookings responded, and the blaze was contained in a grassy area within the rail loop, just west of the main plant, according to the release.
“Facility employees reported that a train engine had been used to move rail cars shortly before the fire was discovered,” Biteler wrote.
As with the fire west of Volga, no monetary damage was reported, and crews were at the scene for approximately an hour.
— Contact Mondell Keck at [email protected].
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