MONROE - Monroe Deputy Fire Chief Lane Heins had never seen anything like Sunday's grass fire north of Monroe.
"It was the biggest fire I ever saw," Heins said.
About 90 firefighters and 36 trucks from 18 departments, along with Green County Emergency Services, responded to a grass fire at about 1 p.m. Sunday in the 5400 block of Center Road, between County N and Wisconsin 69. Firefighters from Green, Rock and Dane counties, along with Cedarville, Ill., and Orangeville, Ill., responded to the fire. Departments that responded included Monroe, Juda, Browntown, Argyle, Monticello, New Glarus, South Wayne, Albany, Verona, Brodhead, Orfordville, Blanchardville, Belleville, Brooklyn, Cedarville, Orangeville, Darlington and Woodford.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Heins said, but it was not a controlled burn that got out of control, he added.
Heins estimated about 1,000 acres of land was burned. There were buildings and a natural gas pipeline in the vicinity, but firefighters were able to control the fire to prevent any structure damage.
"They were able to get the fire out before it got close to any buildings," Heins said.
Several farm tractors were used to help plow fire lines along the perimeter of the area, Heins said. Firefighters remained on the scene for about four hours. No one was injured in the blaze.
Sunday's fire was the latest of several fires reported this spring, Green County Sheriff Randy Roderick said.
"Since March 15 we've had 19 fires classified as grass, brush or field fires," he said.
New Glarus, Juda, Monroe, Argyle, Albany, Belleville and Brodhead have responded to grass fires over the past 30 days, Roderick said.
"It was the biggest fire I ever saw," Heins said.
About 90 firefighters and 36 trucks from 18 departments, along with Green County Emergency Services, responded to a grass fire at about 1 p.m. Sunday in the 5400 block of Center Road, between County N and Wisconsin 69. Firefighters from Green, Rock and Dane counties, along with Cedarville, Ill., and Orangeville, Ill., responded to the fire. Departments that responded included Monroe, Juda, Browntown, Argyle, Monticello, New Glarus, South Wayne, Albany, Verona, Brodhead, Orfordville, Blanchardville, Belleville, Brooklyn, Cedarville, Orangeville, Darlington and Woodford.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Heins said, but it was not a controlled burn that got out of control, he added.
Heins estimated about 1,000 acres of land was burned. There were buildings and a natural gas pipeline in the vicinity, but firefighters were able to control the fire to prevent any structure damage.
"They were able to get the fire out before it got close to any buildings," Heins said.
Several farm tractors were used to help plow fire lines along the perimeter of the area, Heins said. Firefighters remained on the scene for about four hours. No one was injured in the blaze.
Sunday's fire was the latest of several fires reported this spring, Green County Sheriff Randy Roderick said.
"Since March 15 we've had 19 fires classified as grass, brush or field fires," he said.
New Glarus, Juda, Monroe, Argyle, Albany, Belleville and Brodhead have responded to grass fires over the past 30 days, Roderick said.