Exhausting few days for firemen

February 15 was certainly a challenging day for local firefighters.

And it proved to be just a part of what added up to a taxing week.

Rodney Crane, chief of the Holly Springs Fire Department, said his department responded to an 18-wheeler fire on I-22 just east of the city Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 15. The truck was traveling westbound at mile marker 34.

“The driver apparently had a blowout, and somehow it caught the trailer on fire,” Crane said. “It started burning fast.”

The driver notified rescue personnel, and when they arrived, the truck was 50 to 60 percent involved in flames, the chief said.

“It was really ripping when we got there,” he said.

The driver of the truck was not injured.

The Holly Springs Fire Department received assistance from Potts Camp, Red Banks, Mt. Pleasant and Waterford fire departments.

“We put probably 10,000-plus gallons of water on it, trying to combat it,” Crane said.

Davis Wrecker also assisted, he said, in trying to lift the truck up so firefighters could reach the bottom part of the truck.

The fire also ran into a nearby grass area, up into the woods.

“But we were able to contain it,” Crane said. Firemen were on the scene from 2:23 p.m. To 8:55 p.m. — more than six hours.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department also worked the scene. One lane was initially shut down and shortly thereafter both westbound lanes.

Then a little before 5 p.m., firefighters were called to a grass fire on Karen Cove, also east of Holly Springs. It started behind a residence and turned into a very dangerous situation, Crane said, due to windy conditions. Firemen did not leave the area until after midnight, around 1:30 a.m.

“The wind just took it and it kept going,” he said.

It spread to the Jennifer Road area and on to near Higdon Road. Homes were threatened.

Again, several departments, including Holly Springs, Potts Camp, Waterford, Mt. Pleasant and Red Banks battled the fire. They were joined by personnel from the Mississippi Forestry Commission and the sheriff’s department.

“There was a lot of wooded area, and we couldn’t get vehicles in,” Crane said. “Mississippi Forestry brought in dozers to help.”

Approximately 40 firefighters were on the scene as it spread across almost 100 acres.

“Our priority was protecting the homes,” he said. “The residents were scared. Some were packing up and ready to leave.

“We had trucks protecting the entire area. And thank goodness, no structures were damaged, except an abandoned shed.”

Also Tuesday afternoon of last week, there was an 18-wheeler and pickup accident on I-22 West near the Lake Center exit with injuries.

Both lanes were shut down again.

“We sent a rescue unit there to assist the ambulance service,” Crane said. “There were only minor injuries.”

As if that wasn’t enough, he said there were more fires countywide the next day, Wednesday, Feb. 16. He said people were still trying to burn outside in very windy conditions.

The city responded to several, as did county fire departments, too, Crane said. The areas included Highway 178 East, Laws Hill Road, Kimbrough Chapel and others.

The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for all counties in Mississippi February 15 that expired at 6 p.m. The following day. Under a red flag, the Mississippi Forestry Commission does not issue burn permits, and outdoor burning is strongly discouraged.

“Please, don’t burn in dry and windy conditions,” Crane said. “There is an increased risk of wildfires; it’s extremely dangerous.”

Krissa Easley, director of communications for the Mississippi Forestry Commission, reported during a 24-hour period on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, there were 56 wildfires statewide covering 4,043 acres.

From February 1-February 16, there were 405 forest fires reaching 17,773 acres.

“March is typically our peak wildfire month,” she said, “but we may be seeing our peak early.”