Wildfires in the United States
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A fire at a lumberyard in Baltimore caused the closure of a highway and schools, but fortunately no injuries or evacuations were reported. The authorities noted that the fire was made more difficult to contain due to strong winds.
Authored by Hank
A fire started at a lumberyard owned by the city in Baltimore on Thursday evening and continued burning through the night. This led to the cancellation of classes at two schools on Friday, as well as the closure of a highway and part of the light rail system.
The fire in the city was made more challenging to combat by powerful winds, and firefighters had been dealing with two other fires throughout the day. Baltimore City Fire Department Chief James Wallace shared this information during a news conference on Thursday night.
Chief Wallace provided an update on the lumberyard fire during a second news conference around 11 p.m, stating that they are starting to see positive outcomes and are getting closer to gaining control. However, he warned that the fire is not yet contained and firefighters will continue to work overnight and likely into the following day.
Chief Wallace stated that no one had sustained any injuries. During a news conference, Mayor Brandon M. Scott mentioned that authorities did not anticipate the need for any evacuations.
In an interview, a representative from Baltimore City Public Schools, André Riley, stated that he believed the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and Western High School buildings were not in danger from the nearby flames. These two schools are located on the same campus, approximately a mile away from Camp Small, where the fire originated.
Camp Small is located approximately five miles northwest of downtown Baltimore, situated within a wooded area close to light-rail tracks and Interstate 83. According to Mr. Scott, the interstate was closed within the city. Chief Wallace stated that firefighters were actively ensuring that the light rail tracks remained unaffected.
Emergency responders arrived at approximately 5:20 p.m. to a brush fire near Camp Small, managed by Baltimore’s Recreation and Parks Department. Firefighters started extinguishing a fire in a large pile of trees or logs, as mentioned by Chief Wallace. However, the wind caused the fire to spread and intensify in the log storage area.
Over 100 firefighters and additional workers arrived at the scene, which was described as being as serious as a three-alarm fire.
While Chief Wallace and Mr. Scott were talking, large flames could be seen behind them against a smoky orange night sky. The fire chief occasionally glanced back to observe the flames reaching above the trees. Videos circulating on social media depicted drivers on Interstate 83 driving past intense flames engulfing trees and brush.
Chief Wallace stated that he had never seen a fire of this magnitude before.
Hank Sanders is a journalist who works for the Times and is part of the 2024-25 Times Fellowship program, which supports journalists who are starting out in their careers.
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