Busy Day for Brush Fires in the Region
 
By Captain Christopher Harris
March 23, 2014
 

On Saturday, March 22, 2014, Station 5 was dispatched for a field fire in the 1500 block of Francis Scott Key Highway (MD Rt. 194) near the Keymar Airport. First arriving units from Station 5 found a wind blown fire quickly stretching across a corn field.

Additional Brush Units were called, including Brush 85, to assist with the fast moving fire. Soon, water supplies became low and Tankers were called in to assist which included Engine/Tanker 82. It took crews well over an hour to extinguish the fire that had started at the edge of the field by a controlled burn pile that got out of hand.

Meanwhile, all across the region, multiple brush fires were reported and extinguished in Frederick and Carroll Counties throughout the late morning and afternoon hours. Though it had rained the day before; and the ground was saturated; ground cover, grasses, brush and other foliage quickly dried out with the substantial winds that buffeted the area.

While Brush 85 and Engine/Tanker 82 were on the scene of the fire in Keymar, Station 8 was dispatched for "smoke in a field" near the 5000 block of Middleburg Road. Engine 81 responded and located the fire which turned out to be controlled burn pile. No one was attending the fire as it smoldered. Brush 85, Engine/Tanker 82 and Brush 115 cleared the fire in Keymar and responded to assist on the Middleburg Road fire.

On arrival of Brush 85, Engine 81 provided water to refill their tank. Engine 81 crew separated the pile while waiting for water from Brush 85. All other units were placed in-service and the fire was quickly extinguished.

 
Units: B-85, E/T-82, E-81, Chief 8-1
 
Mutual Aid: B-115 (Harney)