Neighbors help stop brushfire south of Culver

(Update: Adding time of fire report)

A smoky barnyard fire burned nearly five acres south of Culver Thursday afternoon, but helpful neighbors and an irrigation district worker helped the land owner keep the fire contained to her property until firefighters arrived, officials said.

Jefferson County Fire District No. 1 crews responded around 1:40 p.m. to the reported brushfire in the 12000 block of Southwest Green Drive.

Fire Chief Brian Huff said the neighbors and a North Unit Irrigation District worker “did a fantastic job” helping keep the flames confined.

The wind-fanned fire ignited from a mowing operation in dry grass, Huff said.

Fire crews were on scene for several hours, conducting mop-up operations on the 4.6-acre fire, which also burned about a ton of hay and some trees, the fire chief said.

Huff said he wanted “to remind our citizens that conditions are starting to get very dry and to please take extra precautions when mowing or using power tools around dry fuels.”

“It is best to mow and trim in the mornings, when humidity is higher,” Huff said.