Report Number: 08-0000184
Report Date: 04/19/2008
Event Description
We responded to a large grass fire along side a divided roadway with the fire was directly under power lines. This writer checked for downed lines before allowing the crews to extinguish the fire however, I missed a midsized branch lying on the wires. While picking up, the engine crew reported a branch was on the wires and sparking. The branch in question was approximately 30 feet down wind from the edge of the fire and the wind had blown the sparks causing the fire.
Lesson Learned
First of all, I think that I need a more powerful prescription for my glasses.
Seriously, I should have performed a more thorough safety check of the area. I was so focused on the possibility of wires on the ground that I did not look at the overheads.
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