Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Hot, dry conditions and a substantial danger of fire have prompted a ban on outdoor burning in unincorporated Lewis County that begins at the end of the day on Friday.

Not affected are recreational fires in approved burning receptacles or approved campfire sites, according to Community Development Director Lee Napier, acting as fire marshal.

The restrictions will remain in effect until further action by the county Board of Commissioners.

The board has authority over areas in Lewis County that are outside any city limits and not part of any state or federal lands.

The state Department of Natural Resources said this morning it is preparing to issue cautions to the public given the current conditions which include low humidity.

Firefighters were mopping up yesterday after a fire northwest of Packwood that began on Sunday and was contained at about six acres, according to DNR. It happened up Craig Road in timber slash, the remnants of a previous harvest, according to DNR spokesperson Janet Pearce.

Weather forecasters show temperatures climbing up through the 80s this week around Chehalis.

Officer Patty Finch of the Centralia Police Department is reminding folks of the dangers of leaving pets or people inside parked vehicles in the warm weather, even with the windows cracked.

As an illustration, Finch says on an 85 degree day, it takes only about 10 minutes for a vehicle to heat up to 100 degrees inside.

Finch further recommends:

• Drink plenty of water. Alcohol, caffeine and beverages with sugar can cause dehydration.
• Eat regular, balanced meals.
• Wear sunscreen, hats and loose fitting clothing.
• Make sure your pets have plenty of water.
• If you begin to feel dizzy, nauseous or have headaches or muscle cramps, move to a cooler location, rest for a few minutes and drink cold water. Seek medical attention immediately if you do not feel better.

For details about outdoor burning, call 360-740-1146.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

It appears a burning cigarette near a wood porch ignited a fire last night that damaged a home northeast of Centralia.

Firefighters called about 8:10 p.m. to the 700 block of Big Hanaford Road found a resident has used a garden hose to mostly put it out, but flames had snuck up the side of the structure into its attic, according to Riverside Fire Authority. Crews had to rip off about one-third of the roof to fully extinguish it, Capt. Tim Adolphsen said.

Nobody was hurt, he said.

Fire Investigator Ted McCarty said a young girl and her cousin smelled smoke and alerted her father, who grabbed the hose.

“It appears the person there had discarded a cigarette in the leaves and pine needles by the deck,” McCarty said this morning.

Adolphsen called the damage to the rental home moderate, estimating perhaps $10,000 for repairs.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Authorities said yesterday 18-year-old Rashawn J. Hale-Moody was trying to cross Alder Lake with friends by holding onto a log when he slipped under.

“The male yelled for help before going under water and not resurfacing,” Thurston County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Ray Brady said in a news release.

The lake is at the intersection of Lewis, Thurston and Pierce counties.

The Mineral Fire Department was called on Friday afternoon to the area, at the end of Pleasant Valley Road and when they arrived deputies from Pierce County already had a boat in the water and there were numerous people at the site; an old campground.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said it happened in Pierce County. Pierce County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Ed Troyer said the young man was not wearing a life vest.

Dive teams from Thurston and Pierce counties searched over the weekend and located his body on Sunday afternoon. Authorities initially reported Hale-Moody was 17 years old.

A 17-year-old boy from Port Orchard who fell into the Ohanapecosh River farther east in Lewis County and was swept away earlier on Friday has not been found.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A bit of a breeze and some pre-holiday fireworks combined are probably behind a fire that ignited in an Adna area wood shed last night.

Firefighters called about 11:10 p.m. to the 100 block of Bunker Creek Road found the homeowner had already put out the flames but crews stayed on the scene about 45 minutes removing the firewood stored in the small building, according to Lewis County Fire District 6.

Fire Chief Tim Kinder said the residents were using fireworks away from the shed, but he suspects an ember may have been carried by the wind into the kindling box.

Last year around the state there were 102 fireworks related fires reported to the state fire marshal’s office, most of which occurred on July 4. There were also 239 injuries, the majority caused by safe and sane fireworks purchased from a Washington State licensed fireworks stand.

The law says folks can light off their fireworks as early as 9 o’clock in the morning and can continue until 11 p.m., except on the Fourth of July itself it’s okay to keep going until midnight. Saturday is the last day they are permitted by law until New Year’s Eve.

Using or possessing fireworks is prohibited in national forests such as in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. They are not allowed to be discharged on public lands managed by the state Department of Natural Resources.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reminds the public that possession of illegal fireworks can bring a gross misdemeanor charge, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine as much as $5,000.

The sheriff’s office offers the following advice to stay safe:

• Only use legal fireworks.
• Have responsible adult present to supervise the use of fireworks.
• Have a fire extinguisher handy in case of a fire.
• Do not allow young children to discharge fireworks.
• Never point or throw a firework at anyone.
• Never hold or throw a firework – light it and back away quickly.
• Stay away from fireworks that failed to ignite.
• Take your neighbors and their property into consideration when lighting fireworks.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Chehalis couple was arrested allegedly fleeing an armed robbery of a store in Tumwater last night.

Police say a male entered the Southend Grocery on the 6400 block of Capitol Boulevard Southeast and pointed a firearm at a 46-year-old woman who works there and demanded cash.

Officers called at 9:52 p.m. learned the male left on foot, but got into a vehicle driven by a female. The suspects were stopped on southbound Interstate 5 and the male ran away but was subsequently found in a wooded area, according to the Tumwater Police Department.

The two were arrested for first-degree robbery and booked into the Nisqually Jail, according to Tumwater detective Jennifer Kolb.

They are identified as husband and wife Gary Bafford, 54, and Genaveve Webb, 40, both of Chehalis.