FIRE BURNS 35 ACRES NEAR PERRYVILLE

PERRYVILLE -- More than 20 firefighters battled a 35-acre forest fire for more than three hours before bringing the blaze under control near here Saturday afternoon.

"Firemen from a half-dozen communities answered the call," said Ted Ballman, a member of the Perryville Fire Department. "Between the fire departments and the use of Missouri Department of Conservation plows we got the fire under control between 6 and 7 p.m."

Fire units from Perryville, North Cape County, Patton, Bollinger County, Marble Hill and Fredericktown were at the scene, about 10 to 12 miles south of Perryville on Route J.

Ballman said the fire started when a small brush fire got out of hand and spread. "No buildings were damaged," said Ballman. "A lot of brush, weeds and dead trees burned."