Town of Jackson barn fire ignites grass fire along Western Avenue

TOWN OF JACKSON, Wis. - Firefighters battled a barn fire on Western Avenue in the Town of Jackson on Tuesday, March 25 – and that fire eventually sparked a nearby grass fire. 

Barn fire sparked

What we know:

Emergency crews responded to the barn fire around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday after the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Communication Center received a 911 call . 

A post on the Jackson Fire Department Facebook page says as responders made their way to the location, a large plume of smoke was visible from the fire station, rising from the area near Western Avenue and Maple Road. 

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When those crews arrived on the scene, they found the barn fully engulfed in flames, with fire encroaching on a house located just 35 feet away. FIre crews immediately focused their efforts on protecting the house. The home was saved but it sustained some exterior damage from the extreme heat. Deputies also managed to rescue a dog from inside the residence.

While crews battled the barn fire, a secondary grass fire ignited in a nearby field, spreading across the south side of Western Avenue. 

Determining a cause

Dig deeper:

Officials say the barn was destroyed, with total estimated damages—including the barn, its contents, and the affected house—amounting to approximately $500,000.

An investigation determined that a burn pit had been in use earlier in the day near the barn. It is believed that shifting winds carried sparks from the pit, igniting the structure.

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The Jackson Fire Department received assistance from multiple neighboring departments, including Germantown, Richfield, Slinger, St. Lawrence, Hartford, Allenton, Newburg, Fillmore, Kewaskum, and West Bend Fire Departments, as well as support from the Jackson Police Department and We Energies.