A wildfire consumed about 40 acres of grassland Monday, April 5, in Thomastown Township.
The Wadena County Sheriff's Office responded to the report of the fire at about 1:18 p.m. in section 13 of the township, just north of Staples. Emergency personnel arrived on scene and began to extinguish the fire as it grew due to the dry conditions. The homeowner stated they were working in a garden that contained patches of overgrown grass and brush. The four-wheeler they were riding may have caused the grass to ignite when they moved it from one spot to the next. The homeowner tried containing the fire themselves before quickly realizing that they needed the fire department, according to a Wadena County Sheriff's Office news release.
The fire was contained with the help of several DNR aircraft and heavy equipment from a local contractor. No structures were damaged or lost and no one was injured. The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office, Staples Fire Department, and MN DNR Forestry all responded to this incident.
