CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Dozens of acres of farmland was destroyed in a fire just outside of Clarksville.
The fire started in a field off of Charles Bell Road and Hampton Station Road. Because it got so close to some houses in the area, residents were asked to leave their homes out of precaution.
According to the owner of the land, fire officials said the fire could have started due from sparks coming off of a train track that travels through the farmland.
“It’s just been so dry and everything, it got in these corn stalks," the owner said. “Probably burned about 20 acres of soy beans.”
Luckily the corn had already been harvested prior to the fire, but the loss of the soy beans will still mean thousands of dollars in losses for the farmer.
“Well, you know, it could be better, but that’s just part of farming. You take the good with the bad," the owner said. “You have a good year, you just gotta prepare for the bad ones.”
And this year has been less than ideal, according to the owner of the land. The heavy rain in the early part of 2019 turned into an extremely hot and dry summer and fall, which has impacted crops.
The owner of the land said that firefighters were quick to respond to the fire, and neighbors did all they could to help extinguish the flames and keep the fire from spreading.
“They came out and did a great job,” the owner said.
No injuries were reported and no structures were damaged in the fire.
Emergency Management officials say it took about an hour and a half to contain the flames.
