High winds, dry conditions fuel field fires

    REGIONAL -- Dry and windy conditions Monday fueled field fires throughout southwest Iowa, including this blaze southeast of Harlan Monday afternoon.  Harlan Fire Chief Roger Bissen said crews were called to the area of 700th/800th Sts. and Oak Road about 3:37 p.m. Monday where a field blaze had started.  Upon arrival, firefighters were met with 35 mile per hour winds that pushed the flames from the south.  In total about 150 acres were burned, including 30 acres of standing corn that was lost.
    “The wind was so bad,” Bissen said.  “It really was a tough one to knock down because it was so dry, too.”  Five Harlan fire trucks were sent to the scene, aided by fire crews from Kirkman, Avoca, Walnut and Elk Horn.  Firefighters were on scene for about 1 1/2 hours before getting the field fire under control.  “We ended up having to go back because a tree stump down in a ditch ended up smoldering a rekindling,” Bissen said.