Unattended fire near Henderson burns ‘large amount’ of protected wildlife area

An unattended fire on private property spread Friday afternoon, burning a significant portion of a protected wildlife area.

The Sibley County Sheriff’s Office responded to the fire at 4:30 p.m., near the intersection of Scenic Byway Road and Jessenland Road, five miles north of Henderson.

Deputies who arrived on the scene observed the fire had spread quickly from the private property to the adjacent Wildlife Protective Area.  The fire burned a “large amount” of the protected area, says a news release.

The private property isn’t believed to have suffered any damages.

The fire is still under investigation.

Fire departments from Henderson, Belle Plaine, and Jordan were on scene, with assistance from several other area departments.

The Sibley County Sheriff’s Office reminds residents to use extreme caution while burning and to never leave an active fire unattended.