Saturday fire near Marquette burns field of corn stubble

Fast action by local firefighters and at least half a dozen area farmers kept a corn stubble fire along County Road 19 south of Marquette from spreading to nearby unharvested fields Saturday afternoon. According to neighbors, the field just over a mile east of Highway 14 had just been harvested the day before. Fire crews from Marquette and Aurora responded to the alarm and had help from at least six area farmers deploying tractors and disks to extinguish any hot spots. 

The fire, driven by strong northwest winds from the cold front blowing through, could have been much worse but thanks to the quick actions of firefighters the blaze made it as far as the road ditch. Smoke from the fire could be seen from as far away as Hordville and Central City. The cause of the blaze is unknown at this time.