Daily Staff Writer

Strong winds blew a high branch down on a hot wire creating sparks which started a grass fire near Lime Pond, Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

“The branch just laid across the wire and sparks fell, which started the fire,” said Ames Fire Capt. Maurice Sailsbury.

Several hundred residents and a few businesses were without power for about 40 minutes along 13th Street from Meadowlane Avenue to Grand Avenue and then north to 28th Street. There were other outages reported along Kellogg Avenue and Duff Avenue.

The grass fire caused no permanent damage. “It was quick. It only took about 100 gallons of water to put it out,” Sailsbury said.

Fire officials are concerned about the dry weather and the increased risk of grass fires because once such fires get started they are almost impossible to stop.

“We’re concerned. They are hard to predict. We’re down to about 27 percent humidity, and there have been a lot grass fires in the surrounding communities,” Sailsbury said.