When Erica Andrus saw the thick, black smoke on her way home from work Monday afternoon, she prepared for the worst.”I was like, is our house on fire?” said Erica. Instead, Erica and her husband, Erik, returned home to a massive brush fire, half a mile behind their home of 20 years.Raw video: Brush fire burns in Ferrisburgh, Vermont”It’s not a good feeling,” said Erik. “Never experienced anything like this.”The fire burned for hours, laying waste to dry farmlands and woods, but grabbed the attention of this small Ferrisburgh neighborhood, and gusts of wind sent flames flying in every direction.”Conditions are pretty favorable for fire,” said Erik.Chief Bill Wager with the Ferrisburgh Volunteer Fire Department said the fire started on Burroughs Farm Road. He does not know what started it yet, but said the conditions did not make it easy to put out.”Basically, we’re dealing with an upper burning material that’s dry, but we’re also dealing with a swamp,” Wager said. “The fire was traveling rapidly because we had lots of wind conditions. It was actually pushing the fire.” Multiple departments made up of all volunteers were dealing with flames that they do not see around these parts often.”Small grass fires, yes. Brush fires, we don’t see many of,” Wager said. “This isn’t common for us.”Wager said this is the largest brush fire he has seen in this area in over five years, and at this point, more than 100 acres of land have been burned. Grass, trees, a few sheds and smaller structures burned down in its path. Luckily, no injuries were reported.As of 10 p.m. Monday, the brush fire was contained.
When Erica Andrus saw the thick, black smoke on her way home from work Monday afternoon, she prepared for the worst.
“I was like, is our house on fire?” said Erica.
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Instead, Erica and her husband, Erik, returned home to a massive brush fire, half a mile behind their home of 20 years.
Raw video: Brush fire burns in Ferrisburgh, Vermont
“It’s not a good feeling,” said Erik. “Never experienced anything like this.”
The fire burned for hours, laying waste to dry farmlands and woods, but grabbed the attention of this small Ferrisburgh neighborhood, and gusts of wind sent flames flying in every direction.
“Conditions are pretty favorable for fire,” said Erik.
Chief Bill Wager with the Ferrisburgh Volunteer Fire Department said the fire started on Burroughs Farm Road. He does not know what started it yet, but said the conditions did not make it easy to put out.
“Basically, we’re dealing with an upper burning material that’s dry, but we’re also dealing with a swamp,” Wager said. “The fire was traveling rapidly because we had lots of wind conditions. It was actually pushing the fire.”
Multiple departments made up of all volunteers were dealing with flames that they do not see around these parts often.
“Small grass fires, yes. Brush fires, we don’t see many of,” Wager said. “This isn’t common for us.”
Wager said this is the largest brush fire he has seen in this area in over five years, and at this point, more than 100 acres of land have been burned. Grass, trees, a few sheds and smaller structures burned down in its path. Luckily, no injuries were reported.
As of 10 p.m. Monday, the brush fire was contained.
