Fireworks cause brush fire near Arlington airport

A brush fire allegedly started by illegal fireworks was extinguished on the north end of the Arlington Municipal Airport Sept. 2.

ARLINGTON — A brush fire allegedly started by illegal fireworks was extinguished on the north end of the Arlington Municipal Airport Sept. 2.

The fire, which authorities said was started by a resident who lived in a nearby neighborhood, had grown to more than 1,000 feet by the time fire department personnel had arrived at the scene.

“It’s right up against a fenced residential area,” said Kristen Banfield, city of Arlington spokesperson. “It could have been much worse. There was a bit of a breeze.”

The resident allegedly tried to extinguish the fire with a garden hose, Banfield said, but soon realized that he needed to contact the fire department.

Fire department personnel were dispatched to the fire at about 1:15 p.m., and had the blaze extinguished within an hour.

The resident has not been issued a fine or citation, but Banfield said officials have not ruled that out.

The fire department will be monitoring the location within the next 24 hours for any flare ups, officials said.