Illegal burn pile seen off interstate

SUPERIOR – Late Sunday evening, Superior firefighters responded to a call of a brush fire seen off of Interstate 90.

According to John Woodland, chief of the Superior Volunteer Fire Department, the fire turned out to be a burn pile that was still going, despite after-dark burns being illegal. A passing driver saw the flames and called it in to emergency dispatch.

According to Mineral County Dispatch, the fire would normally have been turned over to the Fire Service, but they were unavailable due to the Government Shutdown. As a result, Superior firefighters stayed at the site to deal with the fire. Only one engine was dispatched.

Dispatch said the site had fairly clear surroundings and had little chance of spreading to nearby brush. Firefighters on scene made sure the fire had sufficient defensible space before leaving it under the landowner’s supervision.