The brush fire that burned 76 acres of land, a shed and a metal barn in Bergheim last Tuesday was the result of a controlled burn that got out of hand, indicating the homeowner was not paying attention to the burn ban in effect for the county since early this year.
It was one of two controlled burns that ended with intervention from the Bergheim Volunteer Fire Department last week on Rodalyn Drive alone, suggesting there may be a lack of awareness of the dry and windy conditions facing the county this winter. The conditions create dangerous fire-spreading scenarios, Bergheim Volunteer Fire Department Chief Adam Hawkins said, and local firefighters are urging residents to heed their warnings and adhere to the burn ban that remains in effect.
The larger brush fire came close to Voss Middle School, 45 Voss Parkway off of Highway 46, and reached the back of the school property, but never reached the actual campus.
