Fire Threatens District Homes
Ellie Blake
Staff Writer
A field fire erupted in the pastures surrounding homes of Waverly students off 176th and Adams on March 15.
With the winds and temperatures rising, the flames grew rapidly. The high temperature on Saturday reached over 70 degrees, making fires easily capable of spreading.
The fire began in the early afternoon. It grew larger and came very close to several homes of district students.
The Sondgeroth family's house was spared by inches. Once the fire started, the family knew they had to take action quickly.
"Once we saw it coming, we knew it wouldn't stop until it got to the house. We were lucky there was landscaping around the house, because that's what stopped the fire from getting to our house," parent and homeowner Travis Sondgeroth said.
"The fire burned all the way around the house," Travis said. "The landscape rocks are what stopped the fire, three feet away from burning our house."
Panic struck as the fire grew closer to the family's home.
"I knew the fire had already been called in. I threw my hands up in the air and started hollering," Tina Sondgeroth said. The fire was tamed with some hot spots smoldering throughout the weekend.
