Overnight Liberty Lake blaze hit timber, destroyed shed

A fire in timber and brush in an older section of Liberty Lake threatened to cause an evacuation of residents early today, but firefighters brought the blaze under control quickly enough to stop the fire from spreading, officials said. The 1:25 a.m. fire at Garry Avenue and Clarke Street destroyed an old shed and spread across a 100-by-100-foot area, said Bill Clifford, fire marshal for Spokane Valley Fire District No. 1. Fire crews warned residents of the threat, though no evacuations were called, Clifford said. Winds of 15 mph with higher gusts whipped the fire up into the trees and caused it to spread hot spots across the ground and onto the roof of a garage, Clifford said. An engine company stationed at Liberty Lake got the fire under control before it could damage other structures, and reported that the blaze had moved 20 to 25 feet up into the trees. No injuries were reported. The cause is under investigation.