Iowa fire chief says crew is ready for grass fires, urges public to take caution
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (WOWT) - While most of us are enjoying a beautiful fall day, Thursday’s weather conditions are not so pretty for some first responders.
The wind, howling. Gusts up to 45 mph. With current dry conditions, that’s cause for alarm for members of the Lewis Township Fire Department in Pottawattamie County.
It keeps the department on high alert.
“[We just] keep up on the weather and what’s going on and what we think fire behavior would be like on a specific day,” said Lewis Township Fire Chief Jake Hardiman. “Today and tomorrow, with incredibly high fire danger, fires are going to start and they’re going to spread rapidly.”
No time is wasted. Firefighters check and double-check their equipment and they keep everyone in the building informed on current conditions.
“We make sure all our members know there’s an increased danger so they can be on alert, stay hydrated, and stay ready,” said Hardiman. “We’re a combination department. We have two career members and 27 volunteers, so being alert and being ready helps shave a couple of minutes off the time that it might take someone to get to the station and get geared up.”
The Lewis Township Fire Department covers 35 square miles east of Council Bluffs. Chief Hardiman says they usually average four or five significant grass or brush fires per year. Back in April, firefighters were busy battling a large blaze on River Road.
This is what Chief Hardiman worries about, and he says with high winds, fires can reignite days after being extinguished.
“Our concern is actually fires that somebody started you know, a week ago, a log pile or something that they haven’t really thought about,” Hardiman said. “Now with this wind and this dryness, that’s going to start to rekindle and start to throw ambers into crop fields, ditches, and things like that.”
Hardiman issues the usual warnings: no open burning and care when disposing of cigarettes. If people follow those general rules, Hardiman said it greatly decreases the chances of putting firefighters and their equipment in danger.
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