Beacon Hill fire started at Minnehaha Park

Three small brush fires today threatened two homes and burned several acres near Minnehaha Park. Fire fighters from the City of Spokane, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Spokane County Fire District 9 responded to a fire in the woods north of the park near Havana and Euclid about 4:30 p.m., Andrew Stenbeck, DNR spokesman said. The fire started near the tennis courts at the east end of the park, and burned about a quarter of an acre before two additional fires were spotted uphill north of the park on Beacon Hill, fire officials said. The two spot fires spread into one fire, burning four acres. The blaze threatened two homes in the area, communication towers, and power lines on the hill, Stenbeck said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.