WILDFIRES TAKE OFF AROUND THE LAKE AREA DURING HIGH WINDS ON TUESDAY

Two separate fires were ablaze during the Fire Weather Warning that was in effect for the listening area yesterday afternoon. One of the fires was in the Osage Beach Fire Protection District’s area of Kaiser and another near the Mid-County Fire Protection District’s area of Montreal.  Fire Chief Dennis Reilly of the Sunrise Beach Fire Protection District was assisting Mid-County on the first blaze which had spread over a large area during the height of the wind

Reilly says until the rain comes down later this week, no one should be burning

Osage Beach Assistant Fire Chief Steve Stafford says even though the Kaiser fire was a controlled burn, it got out of hand because of the wind

Osage Beach Fire was trying to put out the flames before they hit a building. Stafford says though the fire was put out, its fires like these that remind us to make sure our smoke detectors are working properly

Both fires were eventually contained and the fire weather warning was allowed to expire. However, local fire districts are advising citizens to not burn anything until the rain we will be receiving later this week has had a change to soak into the extremely dry ground.