Tuesday fire burns 25 acres

Ellis County rural fire crews respond to a fire Tuesday afternoon in Limestone Acres. (Photo courtesy Tim Pfannenstiel) — Ellis County rural fire crews respond to a grass fire Tuesday afternoon in Limestone Acres. (Photos courtesy Tim Pfannenstiel)

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Ellis County Rural Fire Chief Dick Klaus has “no idea” what started yesterday afternoon’s fire just north of Yocemento in the Limestone Acres area west of Hays.

“It started in a trash pit, which was not burning at the time and hasn’t been used for some time,” he says.

Klaus speculates the fire might have been caused by Monday’s weather.

“There could have been some glass in that pit, and the sunshine may of hit it just right to start the debris smoldering, and then it flared up during Tuesday’s high winds,” he says, “but we just don’t know.”

About 25 acres of grass was burned along with a few small evergreen trees, according to Klaus.

Firefighters and two water tankers responded about 1:40p.m. to a call about a large, smoky fire 1/2 mile east of Yocemento on Catherine Road and then 1/4 mile north.

A strong north wind with a peak gust of 53 miles an hour pushed the fire south, threatening some nearby houses. Residents were alerted but the fire was contained before it could reach the homes.

Tim Pfannenstiel began preparing to evacuate his home in Limestone Acres as a large fire north of Yocemento was driven south by gusty north winds Tuesday.

Tim Pfannenstiel lives in the area and says he “began loading up pictures in the van, taking out the seats to put in important items. I had about 15 minutes notice to be ready for evacuation–nerve-wracking–“but we didn’t have to leave.”

“The (Ellis County) rural fire department rocks!” says Pfannenstiel.

Chief Klaus says the fire was under control in less than an hour, although crews remained on site checking for hot spots until nearly 4:30p.m.