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Last updated on Tuesday, November 12, 2013
(GUTHRIE) - Firefighters from Guthrie, Shawswick and Marion Volunteer Fire Departments extinguished a woods fire Sunday on Rivervale Cabin Road. The fire rekindled Monday morning.
Firefighters were called to the scene just before 5 p.m.
According to Guthrie Fire Chief Brian Hutchinson the fire burned about four acres and the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
"The fire started at the base of the hill and traveled straight up a very steep incline," Hutchinson says. "We were able to use hand tools and cut a fire line to stop the fire from advancing towards any homes or the corn field at the top of the hill."
Once the homes were safe, firefighters concentrated on keeping the fire out of the corn field.
Marion and Shawswick brought in UTVs with pumps and water tanks to extinguish the blaze at the top of the hill.
"The only way to get to the top of the bluff was through the corn field on Buddah Road," Hutchinson says. "The UTVs allowed us to do that without causing damage to the crop."
It was a difficult fire to battle.
"The incline was straight up... firefighters used tools and had to hang on to trees to climb the hill. If you fell you would have rolled clear to the bottom," Hutchinson added. "It was just too dangerous to drag a hose up the bluff and risk firefighters getting hurt."
Hutchinson says damage was limited to the woods.
"Some brush and trees burned," Hutchinson says. "There was no damage to the homes or the corn field, which would have been a substantial lose."
Firefighters were called back to Rivervale Road Monday morning after some railroad ties rekindled.
"The railroad ties at the bottom of the hill started smoldering," Shawswick VFD Chief Bob Brown said.
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