Stubble fire near Polson knocked down very quickly
Between 40 and 50 acres of field burned last week during a stubble fire after a rock sparked flames inside a combine. (Photo courtesy of Division of Fire)
Firefighters quickly knocked down a stubble fire south of Polson last week that began while a rancher harvested a field.
According to Polson Rural Volunteer Fire District Fire Chief Gordon Geiser, the department was dispatched at 2:51 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22 about a quarter-mile east of U.S. Highway 93 on Minesinger Trail on private ground.
The fire was on property owned by Lake Seed, Inc.
Geiser said that a combine picked up a rock in a field, causing a spark in the machine and catching the field on fire.
“We were really fortunate that they had just finished the combining process,” Geiser said, but there was concern of nearby structures as well as a neighboring field which hadn’t yet been combined.
Geiser estimated between 40 and 50 acres were scorched.
While there were no injuries caused by the fire, Geiser said that several firefighters received treatment for allergic reactions after being bitten or stung by yellow jackets and hornets.
In addition to PRVFD, Polson City Volunteer Fire Department, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Division of Fire, Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Polson Ambulance assisted.
The Lake County Transfer Station also sent a truck to the nearby fire, Geiser said.