DeKALB – Warm, windy and dry weather conditions contributed to a brush fire Tuesday afternoon, this time in a wooded area between the 3M DeKalb Distribution Center and the Panduit warehouse.
DeKalb firefighters responded to the corner of Peace Road and Fairview Drive about 2 p.m. for reports of a brush fire. The call came in not long after a fully engulfed semitrailer on a nearby stretch of Interstate 88 was reported, which spread to the industrial park, according to a news release from the DeKalb Fire Department.
All told, the fire caused $130,000 in damage and consumed 40 acres of brush and grass, the release says. The semi, fortunately, was not carrying any hazardous materials. The release says it was hauling plastic and glass items.
By about 3:30 p.m., the fire was about 80 percent contained, DeKalb Deputy Fire Chief Jeff McMaster said, but fire services remained at the scene to extinguish the blaze.
DeKalb Fire Chief Eric Hicks said by about 4 p.m., the fire was under control, and some of the mutual aid crews were being relieved. Some crews remained for another hour to take care of hot spots.
He said that this was the first brush fire call the department received Tuesday, compared with at least three mulch fires Monday.
“We had some other calls come in, but nothing of this magnitude,” Hicks said.
Several other fire departments were at the scene, including Sycamore, Genoa-Kingston, Cortland, Waterman, Malta, Elburn and Hinckley.
Sycamore Fire Chief Pete Polarek said fire chiefs and a brush fire vehicle with two other men were at the scene. He said that although he was tied up with the DeKalb fire, Sycamore responded to no other calls for brush fires Tuesday.
The National Weather Service had issued another red flag warning Tuesday morning, stating that winds would be gusting to more than 30 mph by the afternoon.
Mary Ann Circle fire update
Damage to the fire-ravaged house at 401 Mary Ann Circle was estimated at $75,000, according to a news release sent Tuesday morning by the Sycamore Fire Department.
Crews responded to a call about
3:09 p.m. Monday at 401 Mary Ann Circle and brought the fire under control in about 20 minutes, the release said. Sycamore Assistant Fire Chief Todd Turner said at the scene that the fire started in mulch in front of the house, although the release said the cause of the fire is unknown.
The release said there was one minor injury to a resident. Sycamore police Sgt. Joe Meeks said Monday that the owner, Marilyn Yamber, burned her hand during the fire, but it was not severe enough to require hospitalization. No one else was hurt – residents, firefighters or the family dog.
Turner had said that the house was rendered uninhabitable and the fire caused some damage to the siding of the neighboring property, 409 Mary Ann Circle.
Departments responded to several calls Monday, including multiple mulch fires, as winds whipped through the parched county at
30 mph, setting up a perfect scenario for fires.