Le Mars, Iowa — On Friday, southern Sioux County fire departments helped their northern Plymouth County colleagues put out some field fires. One was at 11316 Highway 75 near Struble, and another was about five miles west of Le Mars along Juniper Avenue.
A report from Le Mars Fire-Rescue Chief David Schipper says:
On Friday, February 28, 2025, at approximately 1:40 p.m., the Le Mars Fire-Rescue Department was called to a field fire at 11316 Hwy 75. The wind was in excess of 40 mph when the fire happened. Le Mars Fire-Rescue called Maurice and Orange City Fire Departments for assistance. Upon arrival firefighters found a burn pile on the southeast corner of the property that had rekindled and spread into the nearby field. Firefighters used three wildland grass rigs and three tankers to control the blaze. The fire was put out in about 40 minutes.
While firefighters were finishing up at the first fire, Le Mars Fire-Rescue was called to 14618 Juniper Avenue for hay bales on fire and the fire rapidly spreading through a field. Le Mars and Maurice Fire Departments responded immediately. While they were en route, they called the Ireton Fire Department to assist.
When firefighters arrived, they found several hay bales were burning, and a field was on fire, and the fire was spreading to the southeast. Firefighters put out a small hog confinement building that had caught fire next to the several hay bales that were burning. A house was also saved due to the actions of firefighters on 150th Street directly southeast of the original fire. The fire did jump 150th Street and into the next field. Sioux Center and Merrill Fire Departments were called to assist. Contact was also made with several farmers to bring tractors and discs to the fire. The fire burned southeast across the mile section and jumped across the road at Kestrel Avenue. At that time the winds were gusting to 50 mph.
Schipper says that due to efforts of firefighters and eventually the 16 tractors and discs and an excavator that showed up, the fire was controlled and stopped. Several buildings and houses were saved.
The cause of this fire was a burn pile of trees that rekindled and spread to a ditch, and then jumped Juniper Avenue and ignited hay bales and a field.
He says firefighters were on scene for over five hours. There were no injuries.
Le Mars Fire-Rescue would like to remind everyone that even if you are not burning on a very windy day, if you have burned any piles, garbage, pits, etc., you need to check for rekindles. Schipper says, “Even though you think the fire is out or it has been a long time since you burned, the material in the bottom or underneath can flare up with the high winds.”
