by Steve Alexander
Published: Wed, June 24, 2009 - 8:40 pm CST
Last Updated: Wed, June 24, 2009 - 9:41 pm CST
Alabama forestry officials are expected back in Bayou La Batre Thursday to watch over a controlled burn that got out of hand.On Wednesday, firefighters kept a close eye on an area near Alabama Highway 188 and Fields Lane.
So did people who live nearby.
Elizabeth Sigler had been watching smoke not far from her house.
She said, "Its getting kind of close and we were concerned because its kind of scary."
When asked how close the fire had gotten to her house, Sigler said, "Its really hard to tell, because there's a pit behind the house there. And it looks like its near the pit."
Bayou La Batre Fire Chief John Wiggins said crews went up and down Highway 188 Wednesday waiting for the fire to come out to an area where they could attack it.
He said the big problem was the wind.
Chief Wiggins said, "It goes from a southwesterly wind to a northeasterly wind in just a matter of seconds, so, once you commit a bulldozer to a certain area and the wind does a 360 (degree turn), then you're playing cat and mouse catch up."
As a result, what was supposed to be a two day controlled burn is lasting longer.
When asked what she was going to be doing Wednesday afternoon, Sigler said, "Worrying, hoping and praying."
Wiggins said, "After this thing is finally concluded, then we'll all get our heads together to try to do something to prevent this from happening again."
Fire Officials Keeping Vigil In Bayou La Batre
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