Shoals Firefighters Urge Safety, Caution Amid Drought

LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Ala. (WAFF) – Shoals firefighters are asking people to be extremely careful as they deal with one brush fire after another.

They say the current drought is causing grass to ignite like gas. Waterloo Fire Chief Ted Kavich says a few moments of burning can quickly turn into nine hours of firefighting.

He said that's how long it took nine different fire stations to help contain grass fires on a 20-mile stretch of road. Kavich said a spark can go a long way.

He said Sunday it took more than 50 firefighters, 12 trucks and nine fire stations to contain several grassland fires accidentally started by a single person.

“He came down the Natchez Trace Parkway,” Kavich said. “He came across County Road 2 to here. He lit up a major area here. Then he came down Waterloo Road to here before they stopped him.”

He said someone was driving a trailer whose tires had burst on the road. The metal dragging on the concrete caused sparks to land on the dry grass.

The fires destroyed some water lines and cut off cellphone service in the area until Monday afternoon.

Firefighters said people need to understand that we are still in a drought and even the smallest thing can start a fire, from a cigarette thrown out a car window to a lawnmower hitting a rock.

“The ground is so dry that rain falls,” Kavich said. “Yes, the ground absorbs it, but with dry conditions like today and the wind blowing, it dries out in a matter of hours. And it doesn’t take much for a plant to start growing.”

Many volunteer firefighters in this area work multiple jobs in addition to their volunteer work, and these fires are causing havoc. They are calling for caution and vigilance until the drought is over.

“It's a situation that affects everyone,” Kavich said.

Kavich added that fortunately no one was injured and no homes were affected in Sunday's fires.

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