Above: The fire in Exeter on Friday, April 14. Credit: Mike Jones

Smoke from the fire covered East Greenwich with a gray haze

The fire that consumed several hundred acres of Exeter Friday was 80 percent under control by 8:30 p.m. Friday night. East Greenwich firefighters were among the 200 firefighters who fought the blaze. In addition, Rhode Island National Guard helicopters dropped water on the fire. The abnormally high temperatures and low humidity made conditions particularly favorable for this kind of brush fire. 

Residents of a portion of Exeter (between William Reynolds Road and Route 102) were asked to evacuate Friday but evacuation orders were lifted by Friday evening. No structures were burned. 

The smoke plume wafted north, reaching East Greenwich in the late afternoon. 

All of EGFD’s trucks were in Exeter Friday with Cranston covering Station 1 and West Warwick covering Station 2. EG firefighters were called back members to man a rescue in town.

“We’ve been nonstop with brush fires all week. The fires over the last two days was a good taste of what they get out west,” said Capt. Bill Perry. “Rain can’t come fast enough!”

That is Lt. Mike Jones garage which almost caught fire

Lt Jones was off duty and sent us pictures and videos. He took all the pictures in Exeter

Rain can’t come fast enough!!

Some came real close to burning but they stationed apparatus around the houses to save them. No structures burned.

The garage of EGFD Lt. Mike Jones in Exeter almost caught fire but was saved. Photo by Mike Jones

Fighting the fire in Exeter. Photo by Mike Jones

Smoke over the Wicked Tulips farm in Exeter Friday, April 14. Photo by Stacey Beal