NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABT FIRE EVANSVILLE COURIER & PRESS 9/17/1999 By KEVIN KINNAIRD and MICHELLE BRUTLAG Courier & Press staff writers (812)464-7594 or [email protected] (812)464-7431 or [email protected] More than 600 acres of reclaimed Warrick County coal mine property northwest of Chandler, Ind., burned. In both instances, high winds and dry conditions contributed to the fast spread of flames, officials said. The fire in Indiana affected 640 acres of the Ayrshire Mine between Chandler and McCutchanville, beginning at the north end of the property and continuing southeast along Asbury Cemetery Road north of Heim Road. Warrick County Sheriff’s Deputy Bob Irvin said the exact cause of the fire was unknown, but he speculated a cigarette butt flung from a car window started the blaze. Chandler firefighters were among the first on the scene. Irvin said winds were carrying some embers up to 100 feet away from the initial blaze. All 11 Warrick County fire departments dispatched units to the blaze, as did Knight and Scott Township firefighters from Vanderburgh County. The fire occurred on the same day that Indiana Gov. Frank O’Bannon imposed an emergency ban on open burning in 38 counties of Southern Indiana, because of the persistent dry conditions. All Indiana counties in the Evansville area are included in the ban. The governor’s order prohibits open burning, as well as discarding matches, ashes and any other burning material from a vehicle. Violators can be fined $500 and sentenced to 60 days in jail. The Warrick County fire was reported about 2 p.m. At the height of the blaze, firefighters tried to contain the flames north of a mining road. Irvin said if the fire had crossed that road, residents along Heim and Baugh City roads would have had to be evacuated. That possibility faded by 4 p.m., as fire crews gained the upper hand on the fast-moving blaze. The fire officially was tapped out at 5:15 p.m. Irvin said no injuries were reported and the firefighters had no problems with getting water into the mine area. Chandler Assistant Fire Chief Frank Shelton said Warrick County had not had a similar brush fire in several years. “This type of vegetation burns very fast,” Shelton said of the grassy, relatively treeless acreage. “It’s just dry.” ---------------------- Tamara's Kincaid/Vincent/Gish Genealogy http://www.angelfire.com/in/tamaraspage/index.html Cemetery Inscriptions of Ky & Ind Many Surnames Leave a message in the Warrick Co Ind Cemetery Forum http://www.angelfire.com/in/tamaraspage/page8.html Warrick Co Ind Mystery Photo's http://www.angelfire.com/in/tamaraspage/page29.html