A bomb squad conducting training at a facility near Zion started a several-acre brush fire Thursday morning, prompting the response of several fire departments.
The Newport Fire Protection District responded around 11:30 a.m. Thursday to Lake County Advanced Response Training Academy, 15900 West Russell Road in unincorporated Zion, for a grass fire.
The property is a law enforcement and fire department training area.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said a local fire department, which has an explosive ordinance disposal unit, was training on the property.
During their training, they ignited a device they were using, Covelli said.
The ignition caused some nearby shrubbery to catch on fire.
A couple of acres were on fire but the incident was not “significantly large,” Covelli said. The property is on a total of 82 acres.
Numerous fire departments from Lake County were called to the scene to extinguish the fire.
Nobody was injured during the incident.