Dry conditions have led to numerous fire calls in the county over the last week, and the Trinity County Commission has enacted a burn ban.
On Friday, a Groveton volunteer firefighter was passing by the home of Martha and Alton Mericle on Highway 287 and noticed smoke coming from the structure.
Groveton Fire Chief Glenn Hammond said the firefighter stopped and made sure the residents were out on the house and then left for the fire station.
The fire was on the top deck and had not made it to the house; however, when the fire department made it there it had gotten to the house and up into the attic, Hammond said.
Groveton, along with assistance from the Pennington and Trinity volunteer fire department, were able to extinguish the blaze. Hammond said that at this time, the cause is undetermined.
He also said the second story was heavily damaged, and the bottom floor received heavy water and smoke damage.
•The Apple Springs Fire Department battled several grass fires over the weekend.
On Saturday Apple Springs VFD, with help from Groveton and Pennington VFDs, extinguished a grass-woodland fire on Bill Jones Road that burned about 2 acres. The cause was reported to be a burn pile that got out of control.
Also on Saturday, Apple Springs extinguished a fire started by a downed power line.
•The Trinity Volunteer Fire Department responded to a brush fire on Glendale Loop on Friday afternoon.
Fire Chief Keith Johnson said that two trucks and 13 firefighters responded to quickly extinguish the fire, which was started by embers from a large burn pile.
On Thursday, Trinity VFD responded to a debris fire Thursday night at Walker and Israel Otis streets. Three trucks and 15 firefighters responded to extinguish the fire.
County officials and firefighters urge extreme caution and to not burn anything while the dry conditions persist.
