There Were Six 'Extreme Energy' Natural Cover Fires In Gravois District Last Week

Despite warnings to the public that the fire danger was “very high” last week, some property owners still burned on their properties. Some of those fires got out of control, and firefighters were scrambling to keep up.

Gravois Fire Protection District (GFPD) firefighters were called to six natural cover fires during a six-day period last week that stated on Wednesday, April 18. Due to lack of personnel, one of the fire calls was handled by the SBFPD.

GFPD RESPONSE:

Athens Road

The first call came in at 2:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18. Firefighters responded to a cover fire that extended to an outside deck and storage building on Athens Road in Gravois Mills. According to GFPD Fire Chief Ed Hancock, the fire was caused by a homeowner burning debris by a seawall. High winds kicked up and the fire got out of control and spread up the hill to a deck. The district requested mutual aid from the Ivy Bend Fire Department. Firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading to the home, but a deck and storage building were damaged. A total of four units and four personnel responded to this fire.

Staley Hollow Road

Firefighters were toned out at 12:53 p.m. on Friday, April 20 to 265 Staley Hollow Road. On arrival, firefighters found a natural cover fire endangering structures. Sunrise Beach Fire Protection District, SBFPD, provided mutual aid. This fire was started, once again, by a property owner whose controlled burn got out of control. According to GFPD Fire Chief Ed Hancock, no structures were damaged, but a boat trailer and 15 acres were destroyed. Four units and five personnel responded.

Oak Point Drive

District firefighters were called to a second natural cover the same day, at 3:18 p.m. on Friday, April 20, to 24065 Oak Point Drive, off J Road. Another homeowner was burning on their property and allowed the burn to get out of control. 15 acres were burned. Mutual aid was provided by the Stover Fire Protection District and the SBFPD. A total of six units and 13 personnel responded. Two structures were at risk in this fire, however, firefighters were able to contain the fire to the wildlands. “Low humidity and high winds made these fires hot and very hard to combat,” Chief Hancock said. “We had to call more personnel in to work these fires than typically required on a 15-acre fire. They were all on hillsides and had an extreme amount of energy.”

Shed, Building Materials and Two Acres Burn

At 12:53 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, GFPD firefighters were toned out to Magnificent Drive. Arriving units once again found a natural cover fire, caused by controlled burn escaping control. This time the fire threatened structures. Two acres burned, along with some building materials. One shed under construction also received damage. Five units and seven personnel responded.

Fire on Bison Drive

Gravois Fire responded to a call of a tree on fire at 11:49 p.m. to 285 Bison Drive. On arrival, fire personnel found one tree on fire at the top. Firefighters felled the tree and extinguished the fire before it could spread. Three units and five personnel responded. According to Chief Hancock, an ember drifted over into the top of the tree from a natural cover fire in the area the day before.

During the same week district firefighters also responded to four medical emergencies, one lift assist, one residential fire alarm cancelled in route and one propane leak investigation.

According to Chief Hancock, the "very high fire danger" was posted on signs at the district office, on the district’s Facebook page and with Morgan County 911 Emergency Management. "If they would have called in to check burning conditions like they were supposed to, they would have been advised it was a 'no burn day,'" Chief Hancock said. "When we put out advisories - don’t burn. The acreage that burned was not large, but it took up the resources of multiple fire agencies." The GFPD received one emergency fire call from the south part of the district while they were fighting a natural cover fire in the north part of the district, SBFPD provided mutual aid and handled that simultaneous emergency. "All of the lake area fire districts have been very busy. We are all sending out similar ‘no burn’ messages. Please check with your local fire department before burning, and if the fire danger is high don’t burn."