Area fire departments have responded to a number of grassfires throughout the county on Friday and Saturday. In the early afternoon Saturday, the Melcher-Dallas and Pleasantville Fire Departments responded to a grassfire near the dead end of 50th north of Melcher Dallas.

In the above video, the Knoxville Township Rural Fire Department responded to a grassfire at the corner of Pratt Drive and Highway 14. The fire spread over several acres and engulfed the remains of a barn that had been blown down by wind. The Columbia FD, Knoxville Fire and Rescue, the Indiana Township FD and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

Deputies closed Highway 14 for approximately 45 minutes because smoke from the fire obscured the roadway making travel potentially dangerous. No injuries were reported in either fire.