IVFD responds to grass fire near Enders

Imperial Volunteer Fire Department (IVFD) responded to a grass fire at approximately 10:32 a.m. last Thursday.
IVFD Chief Doug Mitchell said the fire was not at all related to the power outage Imperial experienced around the same time.
“It’s a weird coincidence,” Mitchell said.
The small fire was located about three miles east of Highway 6 on Road 733.
“I believe we were on Marty Fanning’s ground,” Mitchell added.
Mitchell said there was a patch of dry, wild oats near a microswitch on top of a submersible well.
The farmer was trying to access the well and the microswitch sparked and ignited the dry wheat, he added.
Only one truck was used by the IVFD.
“When we got there it wasn’t very big so we just used the one truck,” Mitchell said. “It wasn’t a big deal at all.”
Mitchell estimated the total burned area to be about 500 feet long by 20 feet wide.
Even though this fire was small, Mitchell urges the public to be careful.
“It’s going to be hot and dry,” he said. “If there’s wild oats and you drive over them, they’re going to want to start on fire.”