Fire crews getting the upper hand on Mason County blaze

The Deckerville Fire in Mason County, which started Friday and destroyed five residences, was 50 percent contained as of Sunday morning, a spokesman for the state Department of Natural Resources said.

And fire crews continue to make progress against the fire that grew to more than 100 acres, 3 miles west of Matlock in Mason County.

“From my point of view it is looking pretty good,” spokesman Glenn Kohler said Sunday, adding that fire crews have been aided by a lack of wind, although temperatures were expected to rise into the 90s once again.

The fire, which is under investigation, started Friday afternoon. It burned north to Deckerville Road, jumped across Decker Creek and moved in the direction of Ford Road, according to a DNR news release. The fire burned 13 structures, including five residences.

According to the news release:

▪  The Red Cross provided housing for some of the displaced families. Donations can be dropped off at the Matlock Community Church or the Matlock grange. The church is on Matlock-Brady Road; the grange is on West Beeville Road.

▪  About 180 people have been involved in fighting the fire. Equipment used to battle the blaze included two air tankers and three helicopters, which slowed the fire Friday night.

▪  Frisken Y Road is closed north of Deckerville Road. Deckerville Road, Ford Road and Maple Road are open. Drivers are asked to use caution around firefighter traffic.

▪  Residents in the vicinity of the fire area north of Deckerville Road may return to their homes, but because the fire hasn’t completely been contained, residents should be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.

Those who need information or assistance with fire recovery should contact the Mason County Emergency Operations Center at 360-427-9670, extension 806.

This story was originally published August 2, 2015 at 8:14 AM with the headline "Fire crews getting the upper hand on Mason County blaze."