(Le Mars) — Within a time span of nearly a half an hour, the Le Mars, Merrill, and Hinton Fire Departments were called to three separate grass/field fires. The first call came at about 11:30 a.m. and was located at the intersection of 240th Street and Lake Avenue, about four miles south of Le Mars. Approximately 30 acres of grassland and timber areas had burned during that fire. It is suspected the fire was started from a discarded cigarette. Fire officials were barely able to extinguish the blaze when the Hinton Fire Department was called at 12:03 p.m. and had to leave the first scene to go fight a grass fire located at the intersection of County roads C-60 and K-30. Meanwhile, about five minutes later, both the Le Mars and Merrill Fire Departments and Akron and Hinton Fire Departments were called to a third grass fire on the opposite side of their fire districts, located at county roads C-38 and K-22, about six miles west of Merrill. The fire located at Lake Avenue and 240th Street had approached a home, coming within a distance of nearly fifty feet of threatening the house. Fire officials were able to control the blaze before it reached the home. The third grass fire at C-38 and K-22 also had threaten a rural home, having come within just a few feet of the house. That fire had destroyed more than five acres of corn stubble. It was the result of a controlled burn that got out of control. Fire officials have said if rain doesn’t arrive by this weekend, than it is likely a burn ban may be issued for Plymouth County.
240th Street and Lake Avenue
C-38 and K-22
