Wind-borne blazes keep local fire crews poised Thursday

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Firefighters moved in for a closer inspection of the smoking combine, seeking the exact source of the smoke.

Area firefighters were kept busy Thursday as high winds and harvest crops fed several local fires.

The Dawson Volunteer Fire Department responded to a field fire near the southwest intersection of County Roads P46 and F31, that is, D Avenue and 210th Street, about seven miles south of Dawson.

Firefighters quickly controlled the blaze, which was reported shortly after noon. The cause of the stubble fire in unknown.

Corn dust coupled with an overheated combine owned by Harold Farley Jr. of rural Perry led the Perry Volunteer Fire Department to a Boone County field near the northwest corner of 315th Street and County Road P54, also known as Clover Avenue.

Farley did not abandon ship but sat coolly in his hot combine while local firefighters isolated the cause of the smoke and suppressed it.

Chris Farley, son of Harold, said the smoking started when his father drove the combine into an open field.

“It’s a good thing it didn’t start when he was over there,” the younger Farley said, pointing to the unharvested part of the field. “Those dry corn stalks would have really burned.”

Farley said this is his first year back on the farm after a 30-year career in the U.S. military.

“It’s good to be back,” he said, “but farmer has sure changed a lot in 30 years.”

 

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