Local Fire Stations Respond To Overton Brush Fire

Volunteer firefighters responded to a brushfire near downtown Overton on Wednesday, February 1. The fire, which was allegedly started by a piece of equipment working in the fields, burned through about 11 acres of open land before it was brought under control. No buildings were damaged.

The fire started around noon in the fields just east of the Fun N Sun Trailer Park. Chance Mumford, a volunteer firefighter from Overton Station 74, saw heavy smoke coming from the field as he was driving through the area.
Mumford said it was enough smoke that he decided to investigate. He found a single worker on a backhoe in the field trying to bring the blaze under control.
“It was a little hard to understand him, but he said that the backhoe had started the fire,” Mumford said. “It was pretty clear, though, that getting it under control was more than one person could handle.”

The fire was burning through about 6-10 inches of low-lying grass as well as stands of dry dead sunflower thickets, Mumford said. He was immediately concerned that the fire was heading toward a slough on the back side of the Fun N Sun Trailer park, and in another spot towards the Muddy River flood channel where there was also plenty of fuel.
Mumford put out a call to all the local stations to respond and help fight the fire.

Mumford began fighting the fire immediately with the Tender vehicle at Station 74. Later, Station 73 responded with a Tender, a Squad and an Engine. Clark County Fire Department Deputy Chief Larry Haydu also responded to the scene.
“I was on my own there for the first 20 minutes or so, trying to just hit the key points and keep things from spreading,” Mumford said. “It was a bit of a challenge handling the command and fighting the fire. Then the rest of the resources showed up to help and we got the job done.”

It took firefighters about three and a half hours to get the blaze all out.
“The rain in the past month helped us out in keeping the ground wet and the brush a little damp,” Mumford said. “But it’s a double-edged sword in a way. When the warm conditions come back later in the year, the growth that comes from those rains will turn to flash fuel and be a serious fire hazard. So it is definitely something that people should be careful of.”