Northwest Iowa (RI) — Damage assessments are underway after a major field fire in Woodbury County forced the closure of Highway 20 between Lawton and Moville for several hours on Saturday.
Drew Baier is director of Woodbury County Emergency Services.
No major injuries have been reported.
Firefighters from three states battled strong winds for hours Saturday to try to stop the grass fire from spreading. Evacuations were ordered in Woodbury County and in the Kingsley area when the fire spread to Plymouth County.
Baier says due to the 40-mile-an-hour winds, it was not safe to drive through the area Saturday.
The Iowa State Patrol conducted an aerial survey Sunday to check for hotspots along the more than seven-mile stretch that burned. A county bridge over Deer Creek is closed due to heavy fire damage. A concrete bridge had light fire damage, and crews will be inspecting and repairing secondary roads this week.
KIWA Staff Photo
