Firefighters Save Two Houses From Grass Fire, Civilians Help Extinguish It
(CBS4) - A grass fire that ignited Friday afternoon in rural Adams County came within a football field's distance of two homes before firefighters were able to turn it back.
The blaze eventually burned about 100 acres of farm field and weeds, Bennett-Watkins Fire Rescue spokesperson Bridgette Cumley told CBS4.
The fire was location about 12 miles north of Strasburg along Pass Me By Road.
It was sparked by a man using a welder on a fence.
"It got away from him," Cumley said.
The fire burned to within 75-100 yards of the two houses, Cumley estimated.
One local man with a water tank mounted on his pickup truck helped hose down the flames, Cumley said, while a farmer drove his tractor and discer attachment to cut containment line around the fire's edge.
Cumley said the fire burned to the north and west of its ignition point. A creek on the west side of the fire was used as a containment line.
"We were able to get it knocked down before it crossed over," she said. On the other side of the creek was "a whole lot more grassland and then houses."
The Bennett-Watkins and Strasburg agencies were joined by equipment and personnel from Byers, Sable-Altura, Southeast Weld and Deer Trail fire departments during the operation.