Homes saved, no injuries in late afternoon fire on Walnut Mountain

TOP PHOTO: Four firefighting agencies responded to a Friday afternoon fire on Walnut Mountain.

An out building and a van were destroyed by fire.

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – The woods were on fire. A van and an out building were destroyed by fire. It was a quite the challenge for a dozen firefighters from four agencies on Friday afternoon on Walnut Mountain in the Campbell neighborhood.

“We learned from a firefighter with the state forestry department that the fire started from a brush fire just before 4pm. A van and an out building then caught fire and were destroyed,” said Campbell County Rural Fire Service Captain Daniel Lawson.

At least two homes were saved as crews from the CCRFS, the forestry service and La Follette and Caryville Fire Departments responded. “Caryville and La Follette brought trucks and manpower,” said Lawson.

There were no injuries in this late day fire.

The forestry service made it on scene about the same time CCRFS did. The forestry service used its mini-pumper to keep the forest from catching fire even though some fire did get into the woods. “The forestry service used leaf blowers to clear a line about the width of a car lane. That kept fuel away from the flames,” said the captain.

“The humidity level began climbing just enough to help as we fought the fire,” said Lawson. Crews cleared the scene right at 6pm Friday. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 11/17/2023-8PM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF CCRFS CAPTAIN DANIEL LAWSON)