A grass fire had also broken out in the area, Barrie Fire Chief Cory Mainprize, whose department provided mutual aid at the scene, confirmed Sunday afternoon.

At the height of the incident, more than 30 vehicles from six fire departments — Adjala-Tosorontio, Barrie, Essa, Innisfil, New Tecumseth and Springwater — were at the scene.

You could smell the dark smoke from a few kilometres away and there were reports it was seen billowing into the sky from the north end of Barrie.

Emergency vehicles were still arriving on scene more than an hour after the call. Dogs barked wildly from a neighbouring home as the sirens got close.

The fire was under control within hours, but firefighters remained on scene completing the overhaul, and an excavator was brought in to assist. County of Simcoe paramedics also stayed late into the night to monitor crews during suppression operations.

Stretches of 27 and the 20th were closed for several hours during the incident.

Correction — Aug. 8, 2022: This article has been edited from a previous version that misstated the approximate number of dairy cows killed in the fire.