Cigarette Apparent Cause Of Grass Fire

FARMINGTON -- Farmington firefighters quickly put out a grass and brush fire Thursday afternoon behind Dollar General and Kum 'N Go gas station and convenience store on Main Street.

Chief Mark Cunningham said it appeared the fire started from a cigarette thrown to the ground. Grass caught fire and the flames spread north from behind the stores toward Creekside Park. The fire only made it to the edge of the park.

Fayetteville Fire Department also responded to the fire but Cunningham said Farmington already had extinguished the fire by the time Fayetteville arrived.

Washington County is under a Red Flag Warning but residents should realize a Red Flag Warning still indicates high fire danger, Cunningham said.

Anyone planning to burn a brush pile should first call Farmington Fire Department. The fire should be out in the open and contained in a small area.

Farmington responded to a brush fire on Wednesday that was too close to a house and burned the siding of the house.

The wind also is a factor that should be considered before burning, Cunningham said.

"With this wind, a fire can get away faster than people can imagine," he said.