Firefighters douse large wildfire
The term "wildfire" lived up to its meaning March 16 as a fire raged across a northeast Marion County pasture.
Dry grass and a breeze caused the suspicious fire to burn 500-600 acres near 2200 Clover Road, about two miles north of K-150.
Marion Fire Chief Thad Meierhoff said the origin of the blaze had not been determined but was considered to be suspicious.
Marion Fire Department responded to the fire around 3 p.m. Mutual aid was requested and received from Lincolnville and Florence.
In all, 17 firefighters and four fire trucks from Marion, four from Lincolnville, and three from Florence responded to the emergency.
The fire began in a pasture and continued its rampage northwest, across the open pasture.
At one point, the fire jumped Clover Road and continued burning to the northwest, coming within about an eighth of a mile of a residence before being extinguished.
Water from a pond was used by firefighters.
"We were lucky enough to be able to get in close enough to use it (the water)," Meierhoff said.
Lincolnville and Florence fire departments were released around 6:15-6:30 p.m. The Marion department returned to town at 7:30 p.m.
The fire began and was contained in Marion County, Meierhoff said.
Although a significant number of acres were burned, no structures were damaged.
"We were fortunate the wind wasn't any stronger," Meierhoff said, which allowed firefighters to contain and extinguish the fire.
