Deer Park Fire Chars 100 Acres

Flames raced through 100 acres of thick pines near Deer Park on Friday, forcing residents from six homes and narrowly missing one.

Two airplane pilots dropped retardant and water from Loon and Long lakes while about 100 firefighters tackled the blaze from its borders.

“We had very light winds this afternoon, which saved us,” said Joe Krizanic, deputy chief at Fire District 4.

Bulldozers turned a trail of dirt around the fire, which was reported at 4:24 p.m. about four miles southeast of Deer Park. Krizanic expected it to stay within those boundaries.

The cause had not been determined. Krizanic said the fire started near a utility pole and telephone box along Owens Road, about a mile east of Cedar.

Melanie Tolan, 15, said she was walking to a shed to check on her kittens when she saw flames shoot up around the pole about 100 yards from her family’s mobile home.

Tolan’s mother, Gabriela, ran inside to call for help. The telephone line was dead.

“In seconds, it went up in the trees,” said Gabriela Tolan, W201 Owens Road.

The terrified family watched the fire, just across a gravel road, quickly spread to the north, she said.

“The Lord was very good to us. We prayed all the time, `Lord, save our property.”’

Residents of six houses along Ruby and Tudor lanes were evacuated, and flames came within 20 yards of one house.

About 60 firefighters from Fire District 4 worked with 40 others from the state Department of Natural Resources.

“The fire changed directions on us every five minutes,” Krizanic said. “There’s no way to gain access in areas like this, so you have to let it burn to a road or a field.”

Firefighter Kay Johnson of Chattaroy suffered a mild case of heat exhaustion, but no injuries were reported, Krizanic said.

Dave Braunberger, who owns a mobile home and 10 acres along Owens Road, fought the fire in a tank top and denim shorts.

Twice, firefighters tried to make him leave, threatening to arrest him. But Braunberger finally convinced them to let him stay.

“I was worried about a wind shift,” he said. “They didn’t like the way I was dressed.”

DNR officials planned to continue their investigation today. Firefighters will patrol the area throughout the weekend as the fire burns down, Krizanic said.