-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Coyce Carlson, right, keeps his hand on his brother, Cayson Carlson, at left, as he sprays water during a controlled burn in Dayton Sunday morning. The brothers are both firefighters with the Stratford Fire Department. Crews from Dayton, Boxholm, Vincent, Lehigh and Stratford worked together to burn the house at 306 N. Main St. The home is owned by John Skoglund, who said he plans to use the space for an expanded yard.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Dayton Firefighter Steven Fiebiger sprays water toward the home the department burned Sunday morning in a controlled burn.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
During a controlled burn in Dayton Sunday morning, members of the Stratford Fire Department used their thermal imaging camera to keep an eye on the siding temperature of a nearby home and to look at the blaze.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Kim Anderson, of Dayton, enjoys her morning coffee Sunday as crews from several fire departments conduct a controlled burn across the street. "It will be nice to get rid of the eyesores," she said.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
The house numbers, and the house at 306 N. Main St. in Dayton, went up in flames Sunday morning as the Dayton Fire Department conducted a controlled burn of the vacant home.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
An old wicker chair is reduced to ashes Sunday morning during a Dayton Fire Department controlled burn at 306 N. Main Street in Dayton.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
City of Dayton crews use a backhoe to knock the chimney over at a vacant home being burned for practice in Dayton Sunday.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
After being ignited at about 9 a.m. Sunday, the structure was reduced to a pile of ashes, burning coals and charred debris in about an hour.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Members of the Boxholm Fire Department spray water on a vacant home at 306 N. Main St. in Dayton Sunday morning during a controlled burn.