ASSARIA -- An Assaria woman lost more than $1,100 worth of hay bales after embers were blown out of a fire pit near a pond in southern Saline County Sunday afternoon.

Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning that some people who were fishing at a pond near 3225 E. Lapsley Road had a fire pit burning. Some wind-blown embers from the fire pit caught nearby grass on fire.

The fire was reported shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday.

Soldan said the blaze burned to the west along a tree line, catching 15 round bales of hay on fire. The bales, belonging to Connie Cox-Dorf, 61, of Assaria, were destroyed, he said. The bales were valued at $1,125.

Firefighters from Rural Fire District No. 2 were able to extinguish the blaze.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618240004194.jpeg" alt="Firefighters keep an eye on smoldering hay bales in southern Saline County Sunday. Photo courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Firefighters keep an eye on smoldering hay bales in southern Saline County Sunday. Photo courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>ASSARIA -- An Assaria woman lost more than $1,100 worth of hay bales after embers were blown out of a fire pit near a pond in southern Saline County Sunday afternoon.Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning that some people who were fishing at a pond near 3225 E. Lapsley Road had a fire pit burning. Some wind-blown embers from the fire pit caught nearby grass on fire.The fire was reported shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday.Soldan said the blaze burned to the west along a tree line, catching 15 round bales of hay on fire. The bales, belonging to Connie Cox-Dorf, 61, of Assaria, were destroyed, he said. The bales were valued at $1,125.Firefighters from Rural Fire District No. 2 were able to extinguish the blaze.

Embers from fire pit cause blaze that destroyed 15 round bales