Boone County firefighters describe current ground conditions as recipe for disaster

Boone County Fire Protection District officials are strongly advising against any open burning until conditions change. Those conditions would be significant moisture, higher humidity’s and much calmer winds.

Boone County Fire assistant chief Gale Blomenkamp says the natural cover on the ground is extremely dry, adding that leaves are falling in the woods. He describes these conditions are a recipe for disaster.

Columbia firefighters and Boone County Fire Protection District crews battled a large natural cover fire Saturday near Big Bear Boulevard and Range Line, which is north of I-70. Mr. Blomenkamp says the  county sent 26 firefighters to assist the city with the 50-acre blaze. Columbia and Boone County fire crews also battled a Friday afternoon wildland fire near Grey Oak and Green Meadows, near the Grindstone Wal-Mart. Blomenkamp says that blaze involved 35 acres and took several hours to contain.