Karrie Allen is reporting in the Chatham Courier a small brush fire broke out behind a home on Route 66 in Ghent the afternoon of Wed., Mar. 9. The Ghent and Chatham fire departments were dispatched at 2:40 p.m. Ghent Assistant Fire Chief Daryl Garafalo said he believed the owner of the home was burning paper, which was likely the cause of the fire. It was contained within 30 minutes. Fire companies in Columbia County fought nine different brush fires last week. In Ancram firefighters fought two brush fires in four days, which was one of four brush fires reported countywide that day, according to Columbia County 911. Dry, warm conditions contributed to the fires. State law prohibits nonagricultural brush burning from March 16 through May 14.