Large brush fire on U.S. Highway 80 West contained

Fire crews from Russell and Lee counties had a wild afternoon fighting a large brush fire along a bus highway.

The fire broke out around 1:50 p.m. Friday, April 24, 2026, on U.S. Highway 80 West in between 39th Avenue and Old Crawford Road. Multiple people, including nearby residents and passing drivers, stopped at the scene and immediately began using buckets of water and even jugs of milk to try and put out the fire.

Ladonia, Crawford and Uchee Creek volunteer fire departments were called to the scene to extinguish the blaze. As the blaze grew, multiple Smiths Station Fire and Rescue crews and personnel responded to the scene.

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Also on scene, a Phenix City Fire and Rescue battalion chief, a Phenix City police officer, CARE Ambulance and Russell County Emergency Management Agency.

Thankfully, no injuries were reported, and the fire was eventually contained. We are told there was a separate fire near the East Alabama Motor Speedway; details about that fire are unclear.