SW Mo. wildfire contained, evacuation order lifted
CHADWICK, Mo. (AP) - An evacuation order has been lifted for about 25 southwest Missouri homes after crews contained a wildfire in the Mark Twain National Forest.
The fire charred more than 1,200 acres of the 1.5 million-acre forest. Christian County Sheriff Joey Kyle says it started Thursday when a farmer's brush-clearing equipment hit a rock and created a spark.
Kyle says the fire damaged a porch and siding on one home and came within feet of two others. No injuries have been reported.
Several back burns that firefighters set to remove fuel were still burning Friday. Kyle says crews will remain on the scene to monitor those burns and let the fire burn itself out.
Crews have battled several fires in the Mark Twain across southern Missouri during the weeks of hot, dry weather.