A fire that burned for hours Wednesday at a pallet recycling company south of Commerce started when high winds blew an ember from an incinerator into a pallet storage yard, authorities said.

More than 100 firefighters from Jackson, Madison and Banks counties fought the fire at Lanier Pallet Recycling, 2410 Georgia Highway 334, said Steve Nichols, director of emergency services for Jackson County.

Firefighters got the call about noon and had the fire under control by 4 p.m., but fire crews stayed on scene until almost 9 p.m. to make sure the fire was out, Nichols said.

The ember blew into a yard where thousands of used pallets were stacked, he said. The fire then spread from the yard to one of the recycling center's four buildings. Winds gusted to 35 mph Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

No one was injured and the company, which rebuilds used pallets, reopened Thursday, Nichols said.

Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, February 13, 2009