Field catches fire east of city

The Jamestown Rural Fire Department responded to a field fire Saturday east of Jamestown.

This fire occurred at 3 p.m. near the intersection of 34 1/2 Street and 87th Avenue Southeast, directly west of Cavendish Farms.

“Even with the burn ban in place the fire index was not in the very high category, and it needs to be in the very high or extreme category to be in the finable status,” said Rick Woehl, JRFD chief. “But nonetheless, with the burn ban in place, it’s meant to caution everybody that you probably shouldn’t be burning.”

About 10 acres of cattails in a slough went up Saturday afternoon. Six trucks and 14 firefighters were there for an hour and a half.

Smoke filled the horizon on Saturday with four fires within a few miles of each other by Cavendish Farms. Most were controlled burns, but when those burns get out of hand, JRFD responds.

“With conditions as they were yesterday, if we get a call we’re putting it out to err on the side of caution,” Woehl said Sunday.

He was less than optimistic that the JRFD would have a day off from battling field fires Sunday.

“I would really be surprised if we’re not out yet this afternoon,” he said.

The JRFD was dispatched to a rural fire at about 7 p.m. Sunday. No further information was available at press time.

Information on burn bans is available by calling the Law Enforcement Center at 252-1000.

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