Monday cornstalk fire could have blown into something big

    With wind gusts as high as 57 mph Monday, a cornstalk fire south of Imperial could have been much worse.
    The Imperial Volunteer Fire Department was called about 5 p.m. to the fire about a mile south of the Chase/Dundy County line along 331 Avenue to ground owned by the Berry family.
    Fire Chief Doug Mitchell said the fire burned about a quarter mile long, and Marlon Berry, who farms the ground, estimated between seven and eight acres burned.
    Burning quickly in a southeast direction, Mitchell said the north-south county road stopped its progression.
    “If it wouldn’t have been for that road, it would have been a lot worse,” he said.
    Imperial sent eight trucks and 21 firefighters to the scene, Mitchell said. They had the fire under control and returned in about an hour.
    Six trucks with the Benkelman Volunteer Fire Department were also paged out to the fire, he said, although it was in Imperial’s district. The Benkelman trucks were called back before they arrived, he said.
Imperial assists at
McCook grass fire
    Three IVFD firefighters spent overnight Tuesday in McCook as one of several departments aiding the McCook firefighters in a huge grass fire that threatened the city.
    Fire Chief Mitchell said the IVFD sent its quick attack unit to McCook. Imperial firefighters helped mop up parts of the fire scene and were given other duties throughout the night, returning home mid-morning Wednesday.
    According to the McCook Gazette, city officials ordered the evacuation of the northwest corner of the city Tuesday as the swiftly moving grass fire approached town.
    At least one home was lost.