Cherry noise gun starts wildland fire

TIETON, Wash. – Workers using a noise device to scare birds away from a cherry orchard north of Tieton started a wildland fire Saturday afternoon that covered about 15 acres, officials said.

One of the cartridges shot from the gunlike device had not fully burned out its propellant when it landed in grass and sage along the 1250 block of Dilley Road, adjacent to the cherry orchard, said Jon Hall, deputy chief of the Highland Fire Department, which serves the Tieton and Cowiche areas.

The fire was first reported about 2:20 p.m., and it had burned over about 5 acres when the first crews arrived shortly thereafter, Hall said.

Due to difficulty accessing the rocky butte, the fire spread over the additional wildland acreage before about 25 firefighters could bring it under control. Mopup concluded about 5 p.m.

The orchard was not threatened, Hall said.