Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Lightening and wind cause multiple fires

Fire Chief said Kimball Volunteer Fire Department kept busy last weekend

The Kimball Volunteer Firemen were unusually busy this past weekend as five calls came in over the two days. All but one of the fires were due to dry grass caused by the high temperatures of the past few weeks.

It all began Saturday morning when they were called to a small grass fire two miles north of town where an electrical line sparked on a center pivot. Firemen arrived in time to contain the fire to less than half an acre.

Later in the day there were two more calls, both to help out Weld County with multiple grass fires caused by lightning. When they arrived to the first call, the fire was already under control so the Kimball volunteers headed back to the firehall. Not more than a half hour after returning they were called back to the same area by Weld County to help out with more grass fires caused by the continuing lightening strikes.

Around 4:30 on Sunday afternoon, the Kimball firemen were called to help out on a mutual aide call to Potter where three separate grass fires were going at once. When they arrived, the Dix and Potter volunteers had already gotten them under control. As they were returning to Kimball they were called to the Windbreak Bar and Grill where a tree limb had fallen on a power line and started another small grass fire. No damage was done to any buildings and power was cut the the Windbreak for the remainder of the day.