Thursday, August 23, 2007

Local Forestry Workers Battle Fires Attributed To Drought

   Grass fires, attributed to extreme drought conditions that have dominated the area, have kept forestry workers in many counties hopping and Lawrence County has not emerged unscathed.

   Tennessee Division of Forestry, Technician for Lawrence and Giles Counties Donnie Barnett indicated Wednesday, “We’re averaging about one fire a day right now.”

   A grass fire at Enterprise in Maury County Monday swept across some thirty-five acres of land before it was tamed.

   In Lawrence County, Barnett reported, “We battled one fire Tuesday on County Road in Ethridge.” The fire, sparked when an individual attempted to burn household trash, was contained after burning approximately one acre.

   Barnett explained, “It did catch one building on fire, but we were able to extinguish it.” In addition, Barnett said the blaze posed a threat to several other structures.

   In Giles County, Officials report they have had a very high number of fire calls, to-date. Around noon Tuesday firefighters were dispatched around noon to a Bevel Springs Road fire, where officials report cross ties had caught fire. Firefighters were dispatched to the same location around two hours later when the fire rekindled.

   A second fire was battled at Dysone Branch. The blaze consumed some six acres of land, and posed a threat to a barn and house.

   With no relevant relief in sight for the drought conditions, Barnett reminds residents that state law prohibits the burning of household trash. “We’re just asking people not to burn,” Barnett explained, “Be safe and don’t burn.”

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