Farmers come to rescue of burning corn fields

Firefighters have water and hoses while farmers have plows and tractors. The combination of the two proved to be just what was needed to control a wild fire in rural Steele County Saturday afternoon.
Ellendale Fire responded to a field fire in Lemond Township north of Beaver Lake around 2:30 p.m. About 160 acres of corn spread over three farms was on fire. What made things even worse was the 35 mph winds at the time.
While three area fire departments battled the blaze, farmers in the area quickly put out the word and showed up with their tractors and plows to turn black dirt in an effort to stop the fire. Their efforts are being called heroic in keeping the fire from getting more out of hand.
“We can’t thank them enough as they were a godsend,” said Logan Busho, chief of the Ellendale Fire Department. “We’re fortunate to live in a community with such selfless people,” he added.
Busho estimates there were 30 to 40 farmers who showed up with at least eight tractors to help fight the fire. Most of the tractors were equipped with chisel plows. 
Busho said the farmers were “Johnny on the spot” in responding to the fire. “We had one tractor after another pulling in,” he said.
He estimates there were 30 to 40 farmers who showed up with at least eight tractors to help fight the fire. Most of the tractors were equipped with chisel plows. “They can knock down a huge area in a short amount of time,” he said. “They put themselves at risk to save the corn field.”
The fire chief said they have had similar fires in the past, but nothing to the size or scope of Saturday’s fire. In the past, they have had one or two farmers show up to help put out a fire, but never a turnout of solidarity like last weekend. “Nobody there had to do what they did,” said Busho. “We would have lost the whole corn field if it wasn’t for those guys,” he explained. 
Busho didn’t know all the farmers who helped out, but some of them included Brad Hagen, Troy Hagen, Todd Hansen, Mark Hansen and Kevin Klemmensen.
Besides the Ellendale department, Geneva and New Richland also responded to the blaze. About 40 firefighters were on hand with many of them concentrating their efforts on saving some nearby hog barns.
The cause of the fire, Busho said, appears to have been a neighbor who had been burning garbage earlier in the day.
Busho was happy to see all the show of support they had in helping during an emergency crisis.
“This is exactly why living in our rural community is so amazing,” Busho said. “In this dark and gloomy world lately, it’s great to see a ray of sunshine.”