PHILO, Ill. (WCIA) — A dozen agencies responded to a field fire that broke out in Philo Sunday afternoon.
Kevin Chalmers from the Philo Fire Protection District reported that they received a call about a fire around midday. The incident occurred close to the crossroads of County Road 300 N and County Road 1600 E. Firefighters responded promptly, and when they were approximately six miles away, they could see a significant plume of smoke.
Chalmers mentioned that they reached out to mutual aid partners for additional support. They also contacted local farmers who had previously agreed to keep their farming equipment ready to assist in combating field fires.
Photos courtesy of Teegan Brown
“So many assisted in one manner or another,” Chalmers said.
While firefighters tackled the blaze and extinguished hotspots, farmers assisted by using disc plows that turned over the vegetation, leaving behind only soil to prevent the fire from spreading further.
The fire scorched around 20 acres of corn stubble, yet fortunately, no injuries were reported. Chalmers noted that there wasn’t any equipment in the field when the fire broke out. Fire crews managed to clear the area by approximately 1:30 p.m.
Chalmers now advises residents to be particularly cautious about the weather conditions. Certain regions of Illinois are experiencing an increased fire risk, so he emphasizes that people should avoid any burning activities at this time.
The fire crews that responded included:
- Broadlands Fire Protection District
- Carroll Fire Protection District
- Edge-Scott Fire Protection
- Eastern Prairie Fire Protection District
- Homer Fire Protection District
- Longview Volunteer Fire Department
- Ogden-Royal Fire Protection District
- Pesotum Fire Protection District
- Saint Joseph-Stanton Fire Protection District
- Tolono Fire Department
- Villa Grove Fire & Rescue
