June 23, 2020 3:55 a.m.

A fire burned 11 acres southeast of Elkton on Monday night.

Kyle Reed of the Douglas Forest Protective Association said DFPA crews, along with firefighters from the Kellogg Rural Fire Department and the Elkton Rural Fire Department responded to a hay field on fire near the 20,000 block of Highway 138 West, five miles from Elkton shortly after 6:00 p.m.

Reed said the first engine to arrive reported that the fire was approximately three acres in size and was spreading quickly due to the evening winds. Firefighters used a pump and roll tactic to stop the forward spread of the fire while the landowner utilized their bulldozer to create a fire trail around the blaze.

Crews remained on the scene until about 8:00 p.m. mopping up hot spots within the burned area.

Reed said the Highway 138 West Fire burned cut hay, part of which had already been bailed. A hay baler was also damaged in the fire. A preliminary investigation indicated the cause of the fire was related to hay equipment, working in the field.