After some of the things I've seen and heard the last couple of weeks, I feel the need to issue a public service announcement. It feels like common sense we all should have learned along the way but I feel compelled to channel Smokey Bear and say, "Only you can prevent forest (and brush and grass) fires."  

It has been no secret the last few weeks have been extremely dry in Warren County. What may not be quite as evident to anyone who isn't a firefighter, or who works in a room with a police/fire scanner running at all times, is the sheer number of brush and grass fires we've had across the county recently. It has been an all-too regular occurrence to hear fire departments called to field fires. Most of the time the biggest concern is about any structures or woods the fire is quickly headed towards. To drive my point home, literally as I am typing this, another call has just come across the scanner about a fire of unknown origin that the Campaign/Rock Island Fire Department is responding to.

On Nov. 8, I experienced the danger presented by fires first-hand. I happened to be nearby when a fire was reported at West Elementary School and I quickly made my way to the scene. Upon arriving I saw a pretty alarming sight as a fairly large blaze was making its way through the fence separating the Milner Recreation Center parking lot from the West Elementary School playground. Luckily, no children were present at the time but the fire was quickly spreading and approached within feet of the playground equipment. 

There were some men with rakes on the playground side doing their best to beat the fire back before the McMinnville Fire Department arrived and quickly extinguished the fire before any major damage was done. The danger was no less real just because it was handled and I shudder to think of what could have happened without the fast response of the fire department.

I talked to McMinnville Fire Department Chief Kendall Mayfield as he arrived on the scene. I asked if he had any idea what caused the fire and he said, "I just got here but if I was going to guess, I'd say someone threw out a cigarette butt."

Less than five minutes later, the chief called me over and pointed at a spot at the edge of the grass in the center of the large, black burned spot and said "There it is." Sure enough, there was a small piece of cigarette butt in a position which looked certain to have been the source from which the damage emanated.

The chief asked if I could please put something in the paper asking people to not throw out their cigarette butts and to take care with fire, especially in extremely dry conditions. 

So this is me, following the chief's wishes and being Smokey Bear. Please don't be careless. Remember ... only you can prevent fires.

Standard Managing Editor Seth Wright can be reached at (931) 473-2191