Brush fire reignites after five weeks

NISSWA — A 50- by 75-foot brush pile used by Grand View Lodge, 23521 Nokomis Ave., reignited Monday, May 22, after being out for almost five weeks.

The Nisswa Fire Department responded to the fire, reported at 10:57 p.m. south of Nisswa. According to Nisswa Fire Chief Shawn Bailey, a brush pile being used by Grand View Lodge reignited after being out for five weeks.

Bailey said he believes there was a hot spot in the pile and it finally reignited and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources requested his department extinguish the fire and make sure it was out.

It took approximately 30 firefighters from Nisswa, Mission and Pequot Lakes about three hours to extinguish the fire. Bailey said they used around 100,000 gallons of water and brought in an excavator to turn the pile of debris as they extinguished the fire.

Bailey asked residents to make sure their fires are cold to the touch when extinguished and to be vigilant this time of year of flames around cottonwood seeds, a white cotton-like fluff, as they can easily be ignited and spread rapidly.

TIM SPEIER, staff writer, can be reached on Twitter @timmy2thyme , call 218-855-5859 or email tim.speier@brainerddispatch.com .