Larchwood, Iowa — Hundreds of acres of grassland were burned in a fire on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, near Larchwood.
According to Larchwood Fire Chief Tony De Smet, at about 1:15 p.m., the Larchwood Fire Department was called to the report of a controlled burn out of control at 160th Street and Arthur Avenue, four miles west, two south and two more west.
Arriving at the scene, firefighters were met with heavy smoke and a large grass fire, the chief stated. He further explained that they surrounded the blaze to extinguish it, and that local farmers with disks played a crucial role in their efforts. De Smet highlighted the consistent importance of this kind of community support in fighting fires.
De Smet says no injuries were reported.
The fire department was assisted by the Lester, Inwood, Harrisburg, and Split Rock Township fire departments.
He says that the origin of the fire was that control of a Lyon County Conservation Board Controlled Burn was lost.
Chief De Smet reports that hundreds of acres of grass and vegetation were burned in the fire.
He says the firefighters who responded were on the scene for four to four and a half hours.
