Brush Fire Reaches Historic Hebron Cemetery

ADAMS COUNTY — Firefighters from Camp Point and Golden responded Tuesday afternoon to a brush fire that spread into Hebron Cemetery, a nearly 200-year-old burial ground established in 1834.

Fire officials say the blaze reignited from embers left behind after a controlled burn conducted Monday on neighboring farmland. With dry conditions and gusty winds, those embers flared back up, igniting surrounding grass and eventually reaching the east side of the cemetery.

Golden Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Alan Post said the fire was called in quickly, helping crews limit the spread. Fire trucks were unable to get hoses close to some hotspots, so firefighters used blowers to push flames into already burned areas to smother and extinguish them more efficiently.

Adams County EMS Director John Simon said while there is no official burn ban in place, residents are strongly discouraged from open burning due to extremely dry vegetation and wind conditions. Officials warn that even controlled burns from previous days can reignite when winds pick up.

No injuries were reported, and crews were able to bring the fire under control before more significant damage occurred.