By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
The season for wildfire danger is arriving a bit early this year locally, causing concern for a south Thurston County fire chief.
Chief Robert Scott’s crews were called about 12:20 p.m. yesterday when grass and brush along the south side of U.S. Highway 12 in Grand Mound ignited and spread about a quarter mile along a ditch.
The flames in the area of Pecan Street were headed toward thick brush and nearby homes, Scott said. West Thurston Regional Fire Authority was joined by multiple fire agencies who worked to put it out.
Extinguishing the fire was challenging, in part because of highway traffic and also because of the differing ground levels, he said.
“We were surprised,” Scott said. “We’re about three weeks ahead of the drying cycle.”
Later in the day, at about 3:30 p.m., members of Riverside Fire Authority responded to a brush fire at the 300 block of Nelson Road, southwest of Rochester.
Both scenes were subsequently turned over to the state Department of Natural Resources.
Scott said no homes were burned in the Grand Mound incident, but he’s worried.
“We’re really glad this happened now and not in August,” he said. “Some of the houses are protected, but some don’t have defensible space.”
For example, a greenbelt of watered lawn surrounding a building is helpful to slow or stop a wildfire, he said.
The Lewis County Fire Chief’s Association is helping area fire departments organize sessions to inform the public about the various measures that can be taken ahead of and during the summer dry season to reduce the likelihood of losing a home to wildfire.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Omg all this rain makes for a rough fire season. Just like a record snowfall means global warming. Better get a Prius and shut down trans Alta. Makes perfect sense.