CREWS ARE MAKING PROGRESS ON THE WHITEWATER FIRE IN GRANT COUNTY. IT FLARED UP JUST AFTER 3 WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON EAST OF HIGHWAY 90 AND SOUTH OF TYRONE. IT'S NOW 60 PERCENT CONTAINED.
DAN WARE WITH STATE FORESTRY TELLS US IT WAS HUMAN-CAUSED. HE SAYS IT SEEMS IT WAS STARTED JUST AFTER 3 O'CLOCK WEDNESDAY BY BURNING DEBRIS IGNITING NEARBY VEGETATION AFTER ESCAPING FROM A BARREL WHERE TRASH WAS BEING BURNED.
WARE SAYS THE FIRE HAS BURNED ONLY ABOUT 30 TO 40 ACRES. IT DESTROYED TWO OUTBUILDINGS … BUT THE FIRE ARE NO LONGER THREATENING THE MORE THAN SIX HOMES THAT WERE THREATENED WEDNESDAY. CREWS THURSDAY ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON HOT SPOTS AND MAINTAINING CONTAINMENT LINES.
