On Friday, Oct. 18 the Plainview Volunteer Fire Department was requested by Osmond’s department to assist with a fire between the two communities as the sun began to sink below the horizon that evening.
Fire Chief Josh Kounovsky reported that at 5:56 p.m., the department was called as mutual aid for a corn field fire near the intersection of 861 and 543 – about 6 miles east of Plainview and four miles south of Highway 20.
Plainview responded with seven trucks and 21 personnel, and returned to the station just before 9 p.m. that evening. Osmond, Pierce, Randolph and Wausa were on the fire scene to help with water and fighting the fire as there were very high winds from the south that evening. The Weather.Gov site reported win speeds around 15-20mph all afternoon and evening, and gusts up to 30 mph throughout the day and early evening.
“Much help was appreciated from local farmers with discs and extra water being hauled to the scene,” said Kounovsky. The Department expressed appreciation on their social media that evening for businesses in the community that stayed open late to help with fuel and trucks and food for firefighters – and more than a few area farmers posted on their social media about fuel tanks and water tanks available for use if needed.
Around 100 acres of standing corn was destroyed in the fire, and no injuries were reported.