County grass fire extinguished

A fire started by a resident burning trash torched more than 1,000 acres of grassland between Clovis and Melrose on Wednesday before firefighters from four departments were able to extinguish it, fire officials said.

Lt. Jim Hogg of the Clovis Fire Department said the fire began around 11 a.m. and lasted about two hours.

The fire was located approximately one-half mile north of U.S. 60/84 near St. Vrain.

There were no injuries, Hogg said.

“It was a good-sized fire,” Hogg said. “We got lucky that the wind wasn’t blowing any harder than it was and there wasn’t any livestock involved and that it didn’t jump the road.”

The blaze consumed about two sections of grassland north of Curry Road 13 and was stopped before it crossed Curry Road 16, Hogg said.

Melrose Assistant Fire Chief Michael Jacobs said an abandon building was destroyed in the fire.

Firefighters from Melrose, Clovis and Fields and Cannon Air Force Base worked together to get the fire under control through a combination of road-graders and tanker trucks.

Curry County Commissioners on Tuesday voted to continue a countywide burn ban on most open flames because of dry conditions.

According to the burn ban, a first violation is punishable by a fine of $50.

Curry County Undersheriff Wesley Waller said his deputies are investigating the fire. His office will determine in coming days if charges will be filed.