The smell of wind-blown smoke was not hard to notice in parts of the Barrie area on Monday evening as Springwater Township firefighters battled a fire that started when a large mulch pile on the property of Miller Lumber "spontaneously ignited," Fire Chief Jeff Kirk said in an email to Barrie 360.
Miller Lumber is located just west of Barrie.
Kirk said they received mutual aid from Essa Township and Barrie Fire, and that all four Springwater stations were on scene, with approximately 50 firefighters.
As a result of the blaze, Barrie police closed Dunlop Street West from Tiffin Street to County Road 27.
Kirk said while the blaze was determined to be in a large pile of mulch, the call came in as a grass fire.
The blaze was contained to the property, and no buildings were impacted by the fire.
"Fire department officials will be working with the owners to put measures in place to minimize future risks of fire," Kirk added in his email.