Dry Conditions Cause Grass Fires, Daycare Evac, Cautions

Charles City Fire Rescue says they were called late Thursday (01.30) morning/early afternoon for a field fire near Rotary Park Road. Then, while leaving that scene, CCFD was called out to Ocean Avenue for a fire approaching a residence. A little while later, fire crews were called out east of town for another grass fire. CCFD was then paged to another fire before the call was cancelled.  

A Charles City Fire Rescue Facebook post reads, “The moral of the story is if the grass sounds like walking on paper, burning is not advised.”

The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office says they received reports of out of control fires Thursday in the 2000 block of Airy Acres Lane shortly before 3 pm, the 2300 block of Highway 18 shortly before 5 pm, the 2400 block of Seven Mile Road around 5:30 pm, and the 3200 block of 180th Street at about 8 pm.

The Waverly Fire Department also responded to a grass fire Thursday just off 4th Street Southwest near a daycare. As a precaution, children from the daycare center were moved to Denver Savings Bank as a precaution until firefighters were sure everything was under control.

 Firefighters were able to contain the fire from spreading to any nearby structures, with the Janesville Fire Department providing mutual aid, plus Waverly Police and Bremer County Emergency Management also on scene.

While not under a burn ban, a Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post is advising, “Due to the dry conditions and how windy it has been and can be at any moment, we are asking Mitchell County residents to use extra caution when burning.  Use special burn barrels, fire pits and make sure to extinguish when done.”