U.S. Forest Service contains wildfire south of Cassville, Mo.

CASSVILLE, Mo. (Edited News Release/KY3) - Firefighters contained a wildfire south of Cassville that grew to more than 1,200 acres.

USDA Forest Service firefighters worked late into the night, responding to the 1039 Fire. Initially estimated at 50 acres on Monday morning, the fire grew to a few hundred acres in steep, rugged terrain that posed a significant risk to firefighters.

Nearby roads were utilized as control lines to halt the fire’s progress. Once a line was established around the fire’s perimeter, the crews utilized an operational tactic called a burnout to clear away flammable material between the containment line and the wildfire’s spreading edges. It successfully stopped the 1039 Fire’s growth, leaving a final footprint of about 1,220 acres.

Firefighters will monitor the are