New brush fire in Fire District 8

Spokane County Fire District 8 responded to two-alarm brush fire Friday afternoon but it is not believed to be related to a recent string of nearly 20 arson fires set south of Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake. The 12 acre Pinegate Fire was reported on George Road near Pinegate Lane just after 1:30 p.m. Friday. The location is much further west than the cluster of arson fires being investigated on the east end of District 8. The fire was next to Heritage Arabian Farms. Two homes and numerous barns were threatened, said Guy Gifford of the Department of Natural Resources. “This is a large horse facility and there’s a lot of livestock,” Gifford said. Crews from the Spokane Fire Department, Spokane Valley Fire Department, DNR and Spokane County Fire Districts 3 and 9 responded to help put out the fire. A helicopter made numerous water drops before the fire was declared knocked down. “We’re not expecting it to go anywhere,” Gifford said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.