Fire Danger Levels Still High

Hay Fire — The O'Neill Fire Department was called to assist Page last Thursday at the Pritchett place when a silage pit as well as numerous hay bales were reported to be on fire.

Area residents are reminded that fire danger levels are critical and have worsened with recent freezes. The frost kill has made grass and plant life dry tinder much more ignitable and potentially dangerous, becoming fuel for the next wildland grass fire.

The O'Neill Fire Department was called out twice last week to help the Page Fire Department with two fires. The first was on Thursday morning at the Pritchett place, where a silage pile was found to be on fire and ignited bales. The fire departments were on the scene for about 10 hours on Thursday before the bales were buried on-site. 

On Thursday evening, a ditch fire ignited a cornfield on fire west of Page. The cause is not known, but it possibly could be a disregarded cigarette. The O'Neill Department responded with Page to extinguish the blaze. The fire spread into an unpicked cornfield before the fire crews stopped it. The fire crews were on hand at the fire for a couple of hours before returning to their stations.

People are reminded opening burning in the country is prohibited. Burning in town, except for fire pits, is also prohibited. "We have not had enough moisture to justify any burning at all, and burn permits will be off the table until mother nature cooperates and delivers us some moisture in the form of a good snow cover," said O'Neill Assistant Fire Chief Terry Miles. We have had a few people try to get away with burning, but citations will be issued, and fines are a real possibility for those who get caught violating the burn ban.

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