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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Brush fire near Athol consumes fields, forest

A firefighter instructs homeowner Frank Boisseranc where to move to be safe from the fire burning near Ramsey Road and Brunner Road. Part of the fire is burning in fields and timber on his 80 acres and hay bales were aflame nearby.  (Scott Maben)
A tree on a power line is suspected of sparking a 60 acre blaze near Athol this afternoon. The fire is burning in fields and trees east of Ramsey Road, south of Brunner Road and west of Diagonal Road. Resident James Atkins said he saw a tree burning near power lines that cut through his land about when the fire started at 12:30 p.m. The flames were as close as 200 yards from his house. “I’m always scared of fire, especially out here,” Atkins said. “We have no water systems.” This year has been particularly bad. “Even in a good year this place gets dry,” he said. Frank Boisseranc owns 80 acres in the area and watched his hay bales burn up in the field as portions of his land burned. He said a fire engine had hosed down his house as a precaution and others were as well. fire engines were also stationed at other nearby homes to protect them. The fire has been burning to the northeast. The agencies that responded to the fire include Timberlake Fire, Northern Lakes Fire, Spirit Lake Fire, Coeur d’Alene Fire, Kootenai Fire and Rescue, Hauser Lake Fire, Sagle Fire, the Idaho Department of Lands and the U.S. Forest Service.