Newton Citizen

Photo by Howard Reed

COVINGTON -- Brush fires have been in the news this week, and Newton County has experienced its share, according to the Newton County Fire Service.

According to a spokesman for the department, at lunch time Friday firefighters were fighting three fires, endeavoring to keep them from spreading to nearby residences.

A brush fire broke out between the Alcovy Mobile Home Park and High Ridge Road, off Ga. Highway 36, and a shed was burned, but it was stopped before it could burn a residence. Firefighters reported that a homeowner in the area had done some burning the day before, but the cause of the Friday fire was undetermined.

Also there was a brush fire on Syracuse Lane, which at one point was 15 feet from a residence. More than an acre was reported burning.

And on Glynshire Court, a third of an acre was burning and the fire had gotten as close as 25 to 30 feet from a residence.

The NCFS reports the area has been plagued with brush and woods fires the entire week. On Monday a trailer that was hauling heavy equipment apparently started a woods fire on Flat Shoals Road that smoldered for several days. Also, there was a large woods and grass fire on Ga. Highway 36 near the FFA camp that erupted Tuesday.

"It's dry and the vegetation is still dead, so we'll be seeing this until things start to green up," NCFS Chief Mike Satterfield said Tuesday. "It's time for spring cleaning for a lot of people and a lot of these fires have been started by people intending to burn dried limbs and yard waste and the fires have gotten out of control."

The fire chief cautioned that residents who burn outside should keep an ample water supply handy, be sure to wet the ground around the fire and stay with the fire until it is completely out.

"It doesn't take much for it to take off," he warned.