Area fire department shows dangers of drought by holding small fire demonstration

KENDALLVILLE, Ind. (WANE) - The drought conditions have kept local firefighters busy the past couple of days.  Several grass fires have taken place throughout northeast Indiana, and many quickly got out of control.

On Tuesday, Noble County issued a countywide burn ban .  Earlier in the day, the Kendallville Fire Department had put out its own ban.

"We just felt the best way to protect life and safety was to be proactive to prevent anything that could possibly arise," Mike Riehm, the chief of the Kendallville Fire Department, said.  "We've seen counties and towns around us that have had several brush fires."

Tuesday afternoon, Riehm and a member of his staff showed how quickly a fire can spread.  Riehm had tossed a match into the grass behind one of the department's fire stations.

"It was less than five seconds for it to take off and get going," Riehm said.

Riehm and his firefighter let the fire go for nearly 30 seconds before putting it out.  It had spread over a six foot span.  The grass was only a couple inches long.  However, the longer the grass, the easier fires spread.

"If you get that into a roadside or field where the grass and vegetation is a foot to foot and a half tall, and with the winds we presently have this afternoon, that actually can move faster than we can run," Riehm said.  "It's very dangerous.  It can jump roads.  It can really be an issue."

Taking measures to prevent fires from starting allows Riehm's staff to be available when accidents and other fires happen.

During the demonstration, Riehm's department was called out to a three-car accident not too far from the station .  Riehm said the accident was a good example to why a ban needed to be put in place.

"If we are out on a fire that was preventable," Riehm said, "then that takes away from the resources of those people who truly need help."

Riehm said the ban includes every type of fire.

"All open burning of any type whether it be a camp fire, a burn barrel, or the burning of brush," he said.  "Any type of open burning is prohibited, as well as the use of any fireworks." he said.

Riehm said the last time Kendallville was placed under a burn ban was back in 1988.

"I have not seen these types of conditions since then," he said.

NewsChannel 15 also spoke with a spokesperson from the Fort Wayne Fire Department.  The representative said they are monitoring the conditions daily, and if things continue, all of Allen County could also soon be under a burn ban.