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Sarah Finnegan
Firefighters use shovels to create a fireline.
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Courtesy of Paul Williams, Chelsea Fire and Rescue
U.S. 280 fire
The flames flared up during the night, Paul Williams said.
A fire which started in the area of Bear Creek Road and U.S. 280 on Friday is still burning as of Tuesday afternoon, said Chelsea Fire and Rescue public information officer Paul Williams. At its peak, the fire was between eight and 10 acres. The cause of the fire is unknown, Williams said, and the fire has been contained.
“Last that I left it, it was controlled, so we at least had control in watching some of the burn path to keep it from spreading,” Williams said.
Firefighters have been monitoring the fire since Friday, and even if they are not on scene, they will periodically check on the area.
“You can pretty much say it’s being monitored around the clock,” Williams said.
Being contained is not the same as being extinguished, however. Some parts of the fire are too far back in the woods for trucks to be a viable tool, Williams said.
“A lot of times we go deep into it where we can’t access it with water,” he said. “At that point, we’re pretty much armed with rakes and shovels.”
Those tools are used to cut a “fireline,” which is a break in the fuel for the fire. By digging into the earth, firefighters are able to remove some of the debris or other fuel for the fire.
The fire department hopes to contain the flames as much as possible, but Williams said their main concern is protecting homes and structures in the area. On Sunday, the fire worked its way within about 100 yards of homes, but fire crews kept the flames at bay.
Crews went back out to the fire around sunrise on Tuesday when it flared back up on the hillside, Williams said, and again later in the morning when smoke began causing an issue.
“It started creating a lot of smoke going over 280, and a lot of people were concerned,” Williams said.
There have been several calls in regard to wildfires and brush fires since the drought started, Williams said, but thankfully fires that start in the morning are quickly put out without much damage. Fires that start at night, when fewer people pass by and spot the flames or smoke, can cause more damage, he said.
During the remainder of the drought, Williams encouraged citizens to be vigilant and to mind the burn ban which is in effect.
“Until we get some significant rainfall, we’re just going to continue to stress that everyone be aware of the burn ban,” he said. “[With] something small like a cigarette butt, you could potentially threaten someone’s home or property.”