(Onawa, Iowa) – Monona County Emergency Coordinator Patrick Prorok, Friday night, issued a statement concerning a wild fire near E-60 and Oak, in the Moorhead area. Prorok said the fire has been contained as of 9-p.m., Friday, thanks to the continued help of various volunteer fire departments in Monona and Harrison Counties. There was also continued support from some local farmers, who used their tractors and disc implements to try and keep the fire from spreading by plowing a fire line.

Prorok said additional resources were brought in by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources from across the State. Firefighting resources of Conservation personnel from at least 5 different counties were also brought in for the event, along with help from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.

“Hill and wildfire firefighting require special equipment,” he said, as well as “Special training, and special tactics, and this was brought to (Monona) County with these outside resources.” Credit also went out to the Monona County Sheriff’s Office and Dispatch, Monona County Roads Dept., and the Monona and Harrison County EMA managers.

Patrick Prorok
Emergency Management Coordinator

Patrick Prorok said “At this time, the burned timber and grassland will be monitored by firefighting personnel over the next several days. Roads in this area will continue to be closed as Monona County Roads goes back into the area to move downed trees, repair burnt barricades, and replace most of the road signs in the area that have been burnt of damaged.”

Prorok extends a special “Thank you” to all the communities for their support, with donations of drinking water and sports drinks for all the firefighters.”

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A traffic stop in the 400 block of N. 4th Street in Red Oak this (Saturday) morning, resulted in an arrest. Red Oak Police report 33-year-old Kristin Kay Harrold, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 12:30-a.m., for OWI/1st offense, and Child Endangerment. She was transported to the Montgomery County Jail, and held on a $2,000 bond.

(Update 5:19-p.m. 4/15/23) – (Des Moines, Iowa) – In an update our previous post, officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Saturday evening said two children missing from Polk County were found safe Saturday afternoon, in Lucas County. THANK YOU to everyone who shared information and supported law enforcement to help locate these children.

This endangered person advisory is being issued on behalf of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. An endangered person advisory is being issued to locate 8-year-old Zafira Serrano and her 4-year-old brother, Paul “PJ” Serrano. Zafira and PJ were last seen at approximately 5:30 p.m. at Skateland (5621 Meredith Drive, Des Moines), participating in a supervised visit. Zafira and PJ were taken from Skateland by someone known to them. They are believed to be together. Based on information discovered during the investigation, law enforcement considers Zafira and PJ to be endangered.

Zafira is 49 inches tall and weighs 52 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. The right side of her hair is cut close to the scalp.

PJ is 38 inches tall and weighs 33 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Zafira or PJ Serrano is asked to call their local law enforcement or the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 515-286-3333.