Editor: Shannon Cottongame
September 8, 2021
Area volunteer fire departments responded to multiple fires Thursday, September 2, and Friday, September 3.
The first call came in at approximately 6 p.m. Thursday when Whitney and Aquilla fire departments were dispatched after hay bales were reported to be on fire in the area of Patton Lake Road and Farm Road 933.
Just after 9 p.m. Thursday, multiple departments were dispatched to the 400 block of HCR 2415 North in Peoria in reference to multiple bales of hay on fire. Whitney Fire Chief Wayland Price reported that 67 bales of hay were lost in that fire. Firefighters from Whitney, Peoria, White Bluff, Lakeview, Woodbury and Hillsboro responded to that scene.
At approximately 3:30 a.m. Friday, firefighters were called to a residence in the 100 block of Reagan Road west of Whitney in reference to a house fire. Price said that the residents of the home had put out a grease fire in the kitchen around noon the previous day. The fire rekindled in the attic and firefighters arrived to find the home filled with smoke.
The home was damaged, but no injuries were reported. Firefighters from Whitney, Aquilla, White Bluff and West Shore fire departments responded.
In addition, firefighters have been battling a number of small grass and hay fires in recent days as hot, dry weather continues.
The Lakelander 