Huge Emergency Operation Staged Wednesday to Fight Field Fires in County

What Altamont Fire Chief Jon Becker termed "the largest mutual aid operation since I've been involved in emergency services" was staged Wednesday to fight a series of field fires in Effingham County.

The most extensive fire resulted north of Altamont after a combine caught fire. 200th and 300th Streets north out of Altamont was closed for a time due to lack of visibility from the smoke from the fires. We have learned that the combine operator, identified as Bill Nuxoll, was injured in the fire. Nuxoll was taken to HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield for treatment.

Another fire occurred in the Shumway area, and there was another fire on the south side of Lake Sara, west of the dam that resulted in the shutdown for a time of Park Avenue after the fire jumped the roadway and began burning on both sides of the road. Effingham Water Authority Superintendent Mike Dirks said the roadway was re-opened about 5pm.

Becker said the roads north of Altamont were re-opened late Wednesday afternoon, but he and Dirks said there were still scattered hot spots. They said the areas around those hot spots, though, were neutralized, allowing the hot spots to burn themselves out.

Becker said there were several homes in the path of the fire, but they were able to prevent any fire damage to the structures. He said a couple of outbuildings, though, were damaged.

Becker commended farmers, "a good dozen of them", who brought tractors and discs to the scene to assist with battling the fire, along with The Equity, South Central FS, Miller Ag Service, and Runge Farms, who contributed resources and manpower to the battle. He said fire companies on scene included Altamont, Beecher City Tri-County, Shumway, Dieterich, Cowden, Montrose, Effingham, Teutopolis, St. Elmo and Farina. Also assisting...Abbott EMS and Jasper County EMS, Altamont police, Effingham County Sheriff's Department, Illinois State Police, Stewardson police, Effingham County EMA and Mound Township. Becker said the combined effort "was responsible for saving some homes."

About the time it appeared things were getting back to normal, another combine fire southeast of Effingham was reported. That fire, about 4pm, was in the area between Watson and Dieterich in the area of 1600th Street and 400th Avenue. Crews were able to get that situation neutralized.

Every fire company in the county was involved, along with several other emergency services agencies.

There are photos and videos up on our local news page on the website, along with our social media sites to give you some idea of the extent of the fires and smoke Wednesday. The fires even showed up on the National Weather Service radar at Lincoln.

Thanks to so many of our listeners for their contributions of photos and videos.

Edgewood Bi-County Fire Protection District Chief Todd Yocum has announced a ban on burning in the district until further notice.