Youngers start brush fire

Play with matches and you’ll get burned.

The Spokane Valley Fire Department caught two young brothers who started a small brush fire by playing with matches and lighters on Sept. 27, one of the 202 total calls the department received from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3.

The juveniles were questioned and turned over to the police. The brush fire on East Kahuna Drive was the only brush fire this week, but other fires included rubbish fires and a barbecue grill that was too close to a house and melted the siding. Valley Fire spokesperson Bill Clifford reminds residents that rubbish fires and burn barrels are illegal, and grills must be placed at least 10 feet from combustibles.

Other fires and calls this week included: nine structure fires, mostly from fireplaces that hadn’t been maintained or cleaned out before use; two vehicle fires, one false alarm being a busted radiator; nine alarm system responses, most accidental; 157 EMS calls; 14 motor vehicle accidents, with only minor injuries; four hazardous materials calls; three service calls, of which two were for infants locked in a vehicle with the engine running.