Field fire in Chester

Chester volunteer firefighter Ray Witt walks across a burned field checking for hot spots after a blaze raced across the section located one mile north and one mile west of Chester. Sparks from clapping power lines after an insulator on the pole came loose blew into weed stubble causing the fire to start, said Norris Public Power general manager Bruce Vitosh. The blaze, carried on stiff breezes, quickly ate through approximately 70 acres of the section. Local farmer Derek Farnstrom said he had just moved his tractor and anhydrous tanks to the field earlier in the day and was relieved when the flames did not overtake the equipment. Chester Fire and local farmers doused the flames using water rigs and disks.