Firefighters manage large brush fire Sunday

Smoke rises from a large brush fire that occurred near Reelsville Sunday afternoon. Firefighters from multiple departments responded with the fire being under high voltage lines.

Banner Graphic/BRAND SELVIA

REELSVILLE ­— Though meant as a controlled burn, firefighters from multiple departments were called out to contain a large brush fire south of U.S. 40 Sunday afternoon.

Incidentally training on wildland fires at the time, the Reelsville Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched at about 2:50 p.m. to County Road 375 West for a fire in a nearby field. After sizing up the fire, Reelsville Fire requested its own brush box alarm at about 3:05 p.m.

As such, brush trucks from the Greencastle Fire Department and the Cloverdale Township, Madison Township and Poland volunteer departments responded. Meanwhile, Putnam County EMS was on standby.

Unsure of being able to reach it on one side because of Deer Creek running through the middle, firefighters were able to find a path to the field at 4760 W CR 960 South.

Firefighters drive their brush trucks around the field as they work to extinguish hot spots.

Banner Graphic/BRAND SELVIA

Reelsville Fire Asst. Chief John McPherson said a caretaker was trying to burn off high grass. However, firefighters were called to extinguish the fire with it being under high voltage lines.

With firefighters using about 300 gallons with the 25 acres which were burned, the fire was marked out shortly before 4 p.m. The field was turned over to the caretaker as units went back into service by about 4:17 p.m.

Aside from not doing so under high voltage power lines, McPherson advised that anyone having a controlled burn should call their local fire department or 911.