(Spencer)– Large field fires Thursday in Clay county burned large areas of land, claiming some buildings and livestock along the way.
Fire departments from Everly, Fostoria, Royal and Spencer assisted O’Brien county in battling one such fire around 1:00 p.m. just northwest of Everly. The Iowa State Patrol, Spencer Ambulance, area farmers and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office also assisted. That same blaze destroyed a house and a pickup in O’Brien county. The fire burned into Clay county and burned several acres near Dave’s Sand and Gravel before it could be brought under control.
Shortly before 1:30 p.m. another fire was reported at 300th Street and Highway 71 north of Spencer. That blaze started in a combine and started a soybean field on fire, burning several acres before it could be put out. The combine owned by Greg Knight sustained minimal damage. Fire Departments from Fostoria, Dickens and Spencer battled that blaze, with assistance from the Iowa State Patrol, Spencer Police and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
One of the more serious fires was reported at about 2:30 p.m. in a field east of Fostoria. That blaze quickly spread to a farmstead owned by Steve and Corey Peterson where it burned a grove, a machine shed, a cattle barn and damaged a hog house. Five head of cattle were lost. A fireman with the Dickens Fire Department sustained minor injuries fighting that blaze and was taken to Spencer Hospital. The fireman’s name wasn’t released. Firefighters were able to save the house and several outbuildings.
The Fostoria, Spencer and Dickens Fire Departments were assisted on that scene by area farmers, businesses, the Iowa State Patrol, Clay County Emergency Management and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
