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20-Acre Brush Fire Damages Home, Boat In Polk

Tribune photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER

Crews remain at the scene of a brush fire that started as a controlled burn.

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TBO.com

Published: February 13, 2009

Updated: 02/13/2009 03:07 pm

A controlled burn that got out of hand in Polk County has caused about $200,000 in damages, according to Polk County officials.

The 20-acre brush fire in north Polk County, near 4700 Deen Still Road, damaged the siding on a home and burned one storage unit, a tractor-trailer and a boat, said county public safety spokeswoman Heather Smith.

The fire is under control but crews will remain on scene to ensure all hot spots have been extinguished.
Firefighters received a call about the blaze at 11:26 a.m. and didn't have the fire under control until 12:51 p.m., Smith said.

The Division of Forestry had issued a burn permit for the property, but the fire became uncontrollable because of the weather conditions and dry vegetation, Smith said.

At one point, five structures including homes, sheds and storage units were threatened. One home had to be evacuated. No one was injured.

More than 25 firefighters from Polk County Fire Rescue and the Division of Forestry worked to douse the fire.

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