courtesy photo/David Hines

Brush Fire Escalated to Conflict with Landowners

An extensive brush fire at State Route 137 and County Road 1130 required the services of Willow Springs, Eleven Point, and Pomona Fire Departments. The alarm toned out at 7:50 p.m. on March 8 calling Willow Springs Fire to an emergent brush fire.
 
Personnel from Eleven Point Rural Fire Department were on scene first and discovered an extensive fire. Immediately, mutual aid agreements took effect, calling Pomona to the scene. 
 
By 8:09, p.m. Fire Chief Vanhorn could be heard on the radios requesting law enforcement presence for “big dogs” and “booby trapped roads.”
 
When Willow Springs Fire Department arrived on scene, Interim Fire Chief Vance Farmer echoed requests for law enforcement presence because a property owner was threatening “weapons” and “bodily harm” to fire department personnel. 
 
Prior to the arrival of law enforcement, Chief Farmer pulled all his people off the property due to the conflict with the landowner. 
 
At 9:27 p.m., two Troopers from Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop G arrived on scene to speak to the property owners and fire command. 
 
There was no further radio traffic about the situation on County Road 1130 until Chief Farmer announced that the blaze was controlled at 11:48 p.m.
 
Interim Chief Farmer declined to comment on the fire or the conflict with the property owners.

Howell County News

110 W. Main St.,
Willow Springs, MO 65793
417-252-2123

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