Ellicott residents chase 117 Fire to put out hot spots

Just south of Ellicott, flames were seemingly everywhere Tuesday afternoon.

A wall of fire could be seen in the distance from the 117 Fire, but with the wind so strong, it quickly started more small fires in the grassland area.

A group of four people, all from Ellicott, were chasing the border of the fire, trying to put the hot spots out.

When flames would spark up, they’d drive in that direction.

Justin Johnson, who used his vest to put out flames, said, “When there’s a fire in this part of the country… everyone shows up to help.”

Fence posts, windmills, abandoned structures, and cars were seen going up in flames.

Small embers were picked up from the 117 Fire that started in Hanover and kept jumping farther north when the winds changed to create the smaller fires.

The group of three men and one woman used the shovels they had in their trucks and went to work.

“You gotta just fight it with what you got,” Johnson said.

The cause of the 117 Fire is still unknown.