House fire blamed on sparks from fireplace

Seven Spokane Valley Fire Department trucks responded to a house fire in the 14400 block of East Olive Avenue just before 10 a.m. on Aug. 27. The homeowner saw smoke and was able to safely get herself and her pets out of the house.

The fire started in a pile of leaves and debris outside the home, said administrative Capt. Jeff Bordwell. There were letters being burned in the fireplace and some hot embers blew across the roof and into the pile of leaves. The home did not have a spark arrester, a wire mesh that keeps embers from leaving the chimney. “When we arrived pretty much one whole side of the house was in flames,” Bordwell said.

The Red Cross is assisting the homeowner with temporary living arrangements.

During the week ending Wednesday there were 267 calls. Most of the fire-related calls were small, including several brush fires. Some of the small fires started due to downed power lines brought down by the wind, Bordwell said.

There were 187 EMS calls, as well as 26 car accidents, during the week. There was the usual mix of service calls that included a family locked outside a duplex, a 3-year-old locked out on a balcony, a jammed elevator and a water main break.

Firefighters are eyeing the recent rain and cooler temperatures with relief. The change in weather has helped the fire danger “tremendously,” Bordwell said. “Right now we’re heading in a positive direction,” he said. “If the temperatures go up and we get some wind, it could easily dry out again.”