Busy start to the year for VFDs

Area volunteer fire departments have had a busy start to the year 2026. Tecumseh Assistant Fire Chief J.B. Duke shared the photo  at left, which was taken at a fire last week on H Highway, north of Highway 160. Duke said the Jan. 7 structure fire included an old vacant home and travel trailer. 

Bakersfield VFD, who responded in mutual aid to that fire along with the Caulfield VFD, reported that they had an extra busy Wednesday last week, first toning out to a brush fire at 1:18 p.m. on Highway 101 north with a structure in danger of catching fire. Firefighter Zach Fowler and the property owner fought it and were able to get it quickly under control. The second and third fires of the day, which came in within a minute of each other, included the one pictured here on H Highway and a structure fire on FF Highway. That fire turned out to be a controlled burn. 

This week’s sheriff’s report, which includes calls to the dispatch call log from last Monday through Sunday, shows that area firefighters were called to a total of seven fires across the area. Bakersfield and Tecumseh fire departments have also posted additional photos of fires they responded to since that time including one in mutual for a field fire on Howell County Road #7840 and a brush fire on H Highway near Patrick Bridge. Duke says that firefighters have seen a pattern in fires in that area with five different fires started down H Highway recently.