Wildfire west of Fowler fully contained

Firefighters have fully contained a wildfire about three miles west of Fowler. The fire briefly shut down a stretch of Highway 50 Thursday afternoon.

The Fowler Fire Department says it began when someone was burning weeds Wednesday. On Thursday, strong winds reignited the controlled burn and spread across more than 80 acres, according to Fowler Fire Department Chief Tracy Nelson.

Firefighters will be monitoring the fire overnight to make sure it doesn’t reignite. Nelson says the fire should teach others an important lesson.

“Mostly they just need to start watching the news. They’re announcing the red flag days. Take that serious. Don’t be burning if the wind’s gonna be picking up,” Nelson said.

Fortunately, no one was asked to evacuate and no buildings were damaged.