As temperatures nose dive, firefighters battle two blazes

Feb. 28—OTTUMWA — As temperatures plummeted Tuesday, Ottumwa area firefighters had their work cut out for them.

The first call came in just after 8 p.m. Tuesday for a large area fire near the Gray Eagle Wildlife Preserve, situated near the Highway 34 and 63 roundabout just south of the JBS complex. The Ottumwa Fire Department was assisted by the Wapello Rural Fire Department in putting out the blaze, which at times brought a considerable orange glow to the area.

The cause of the fire is not immediately known, investigators said. Officials estimate the fire impacted upwards of 40-50 acres of land.

Ottumwa saw a 74-degree high temperature at 12:53 p.m. Tuesday, but by the time the fire was reported temperatures had dropped into the 20s, and wind gusts were recorded beyond 40 mph for much of the night. The conditions brought challenges, as smaller water hoses began to freeze as firefighters worked to control the blaze, and prevent it from spreading to nearby structures along the Des Moines River.

After the fire had been contained around 11 p.m., firefighters began to pack up their supplies when a structure fire was reported at 302 Tindell Street at 11:30 p.m. Firefighters responded to fight the fire until 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. Occupants of the home were able to escape the house safely, but the damage rendered it unable to be occupied. The American Red Cross was contacted to assist the family with alternative housing. The home fire remains under investigation.

Winds will continue to bring increased fire dangers this week, the National Weather Service said. Gusty winds, low humidity and dryness will fuel extreme fire danger around the whole state on Thursday. The National Weather Service advises against open burning, and advises caution when using outdoor and farm equipment, as well as not being careless when discarding cigarettes.

Kyle Ocker is the editor of the Ottumwa Courier and the Oskaloosa Herald. He can be reached at kocker@ottumwacourier.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, and on Threads @Kyle_Ocker.