Fire Watch

Grass clippings may have sparked Lolo fire

Posted: Aug 14, 2012 8:37 PM by KPAX News Staff - MTN News

LOLO- A fire that sparked near a historical barn in Lolo may have been started by grass clippings that were sitting in the sun.

The Missoula Rural Fire District responded to a residential area on Mormon Creek road Monday at around 6 p.m.

MRFD Captain Blaine Cowan tells us the fire is undetermined, but they believe it may have started by deep grass clippings sitting in the hot temperatures, causing it to flare up.

The fire spread quickly through the grass coming very close to a historic barn. But, Cowan says the quick reaction from fire crews stopped it in time.

A small pump house was lost in the fire, but no valuable property was burned.

The Missoula Rural Fire District, a DNRC helicopter, and the Florence fire department responded to the fire.