Update: Wildfire Scorches Up to 1,200 Acres in Christian County

Updated at 10:50 p.m.
Original copy 3:10 p.m.

BRADLEYVILLE, Mo. -- Fires continue to burn up to 1,200 acres, prompting evacuations and crews from multiple counties to respond to southeast Christian County.

Residents along Highway 125 and Martin Road near the Garrison area of the Mark Twain National Forest were told to leave their homes early Thursday afternoon.

"Right now we've evacuated approximately 25 houses," said Christian County Sheriff Joey Kyle live on KOLR10 News at Six. "We're trying to seal off the area, make sure we're not going to have any fatalities or injuries."

WEB EXTRA: Live interview with Sheriff Kyle and resident Gregg Johnson

WEB EXTRA: Aerial video of the fires

Sheriff Kyle says several rural fire departments joined crews from Taney, Greene, and Douglas counties in fighting the fire just south of Chadwick.

"Fortunately it's a pretty isolated area. It's mostly isolated forest. We've had damage to one structure. It wasn't destroyed but it was damaged. We had at least two others severely threatened, but firefighters have been able to knock them back and protect that property."

Sheriff Kyle says a farmer's brush hog hit a rock and sparked the blaze.

Thursday evening, Sparta Fire Chief Brian Loula said, "They put a dozer line along UU Highway, approximately a quarter-mile from the fire that's burning now. They're lighting that on fire to burn towards the fire that's burning now. Hopefully that'll give it enough room that it won't jump. That's been our problem today. It's jumped on us at least six to eight times."

Gregg Johnson lives on Martin Road about 100 yards east of that fire. He's been watching it move slowly to his property.

"The way the wind was blowing a while ago, I was concerned it was going to jump this road, which it could real easy. I've seen it do it before. Now the wind's changed, and maybe it'll stay that way, I hope."

Lisa Taylor was grateful for the firefighters being out there for hours. Because of their help, her home was saved.

"It was about one o'clock and I was actually getting ready to leave to go down the road here. I noticed there was a fire down here on the side of the fence. I could hear the man who was brush hogging. At first I thought maybe there was a brush pile down there, that maybe he had it on fire, but then I could tell that he was behind it and the fire was behind it and that he was calling, trying to get help."

She says she ran back inside her home and called 911.

"By the time I got back outside it was already to my yard here...Bradleyville Fire was here first and Chadwick was here shortly after that."

About 20 miles south, more than 1,300 acres are burning near Hercules Glades. Mark Twain National Forest Public Information Officer Bill Paxton says about 47 people are working to contain that fire. No homes are threatened yet.

About 50 acres are also on fire near Centerville in Reynolds County. A statement from the National Forest Service says the fire is burning strongly in a tangle of trees downed during a strong windstorm in 2009.

Firefighters spent Wednesday building containment barriers around the perimeter of that fire. The forest service is not saying what may have started the blaze. It is not endangering any structures according to the forest service statement.

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