Published: January 31, 2008 09:29 am         

Possible illegal burn reignites; new blazes kindle concerns

Danie M. Huffman

wdreporter2@yahoo.com

Battling fires was more than exhausting for county firefighters Tuesday. With calls coming in every few minutes calling every department to scenes and causing destruction from Johnson to Tarrant County lines, firefighters prepared for the following day.

Wednesday was no better with calls to respond to the same scenes they fought the day before.

Power lines arching from heavy winds blowing them together, illegal burns, carelessness and unexplained causes were the culprits.

James and Livia Reasoner lost their home on Colby Lane near Flat Rock Tuesday.

James said he was sitting at his computer when he smelled smoke. He looked outside and found a line of fire reaching across his property, racing to his home.

“I grabbed a hose and got the dog,” he said.

Another dog escaped the blaze, but a family goat, three cats and a bird were lost.

“We lost everything,” Livia said. “All of our clothes — everything.”

The Reasoners are both writers and lost a book collection and ones they wrote along with family heirlooms and photos.

Wednesday, they were called back to what used to be their home, only to find it caught fire again.

An alleged illegal burn was to blame.

“I can’t believe after yesterday someone would be burning today,” Livia said.

The couple repeatedly thanked Silver Creek firefighters for their help in putting out the flames and saving a relative’s home next door.

Firefighters simply said it was their job.

“We’re all alive,” she said gratefully. “At least we had insurance.”

James let out a long sigh. “We’ll just start over.”

Firefighters across the county expressed their exhaustion, saying they were ready for a break and for the winds to die down.

Weatherford Fire Department did not report grass fires within the city, but spokesperson Bob Hopkins said they had their share of lending mutual aid to every department they were able to help.

Wednesday, station one rushed an engine to Mineral Wells to help firefighters on a structure fire on Northwest 13th Street.

“There were four structures in danger because of that fire,” Hopkins said. “Their firefighters were busy on other grass fire calls and couldn’t respond.”

A two-story home was destroyed and fully involved when Hopkins and other firefighters arrived on scene.

“The only truck they had on scene when we got there was a ladder truck,” he said. “All their resources were depleted. Other departments came to help. We’ve been fighting so many grass fires, providing mutual aid, that we were diverted to several calls through town. We’ve just been receiving a massive amount of calls.”

Tuesday, Weatherford provided help on 15 county grass fire calls while still responding to their own emergency service and accident calls.

Hopkins said winds are expected to remain at high speeds through the end of the week, leaving the county under a continuous red flag alert.

“People need to take every precaution imaginable,” Hopkins said. “Do not throw cigarettes out the window. That’s what started the fire on the Interstate.”

     

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