The Ellis County Press: Heat and fires keep Ferris VFD on their toes Heat and fires keep Ferris VFD on their toes ================================================================================ Editor on 07/24/2003 00:00:00 SHERRY LONG The Ellis County Press FERRIS - On the first day of the countywide burn ban Ferris Volunteer Fire Fighters were kept busy with two fires on the separate ends of town. Firefighters fought a home fire at 104 Squire Ct. in the Cottonwood Creek Farms mobile home subdivision off FM 983 around noon. No injuries were reported, but the cause of the fire was still under investigation Incident Commander Eddie Minor said the only living thing in the home was a large white cat, who made it out safely. Minor estimated fire damage to be around $50,000 at Donna Morris' and Curtis Rawlinson's home, which was built in 2002. 'Due to the heat, many fire departments were called out,' said Minor. Minor asked for mutual aid from fire departments in Wilmer, Ovilla, Palmer, Red Oak, and East Texas was called as a standby. Firefighters were back in the station by 3 p.m. At 4:02 p.m. firefighters raced to fight a car and brush fire at 501 Newton Road toward Bristol. James Hayes of Ferris ran off the road busting through a fence after he reportedly took a curve too fast in a 1987 Pontiac Farara to avoid an oncoming vehicle. According to Ferris Assistant Fire Chief Danny Thursby, the fire was started after the exhaust pipe came in contact with the grass beneath the vehicle. He said the fire consumed approximately 50 feet of grass and engulfed the entire vehicle. 'We had the under control in less than five minutes,' Thursby said. Volunteer firefighter Jackie Witherspoon was treated on scene after being overcome by the severe-sweltering heat. She is expected to be ok. With the intense heat and soaring temperatures of the Texas summer here Ellis County Commissioners voted unanimously to pass a burn ban due to the summer drought. County residents will not be allowed to burn anything outside effective immediately, due to the burn ban county commissioners passed Monday morning.