Hay Fire Spreads Through Farmland in Eastern Iowa

Featured image is a stock photo, not from the fire scene. 

On Friday, crews in Eastern Iowa were called to a farm after receiving reports of a fire.

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At around 10:45 in the morning, Friday, the Nichols and West Liberty Fire Department were dispatched to 1980 Mound Avenue. According to a press release from the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office, the call was for hay bales that had caught on hire.

The report says that the departments extinguished the fire and returned back to their quarters by 1 pm.

However, about an hour later, Muscatine Communications Dispatchers received numerous calls about more fires north of the original.

Crews from numerous fire departments worked together to contain these fires.

For six to seven hours, crews battled field fires and structure fires spread by high winds. It wasn’t until around 9 pm when the last of the fire departments cleared the scene.

The fire caused damage to farm buildings, equipment, and fields, leaving them damaged or destroyed. Rumors that the fire affected numerous residents were deemed false by officials.

Departments from Wilton, Muscatine, Letts, Fruitland, Montpelier, Columbus Junction, Wapello, West Liberty Nichols, Conesville, West Branch, Tipton, and Atalissa all came together to help put out the fire.

The fire is under investigation by the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office.

As Iowa continues to dry, it's important to remember to be cautious about the fire. Northeast Iowa has also seen a few fires with farm equipment in the last few days.

According to the Fayette County Newspapers Facebook last Thursday, there was a combine fire between Ossian and Decorah. According to the post, there were no reported injuries, but the combine was considered a total loss.

There was also a harvester that caught on fire Saturday just outside of West Union.