Fire roundup: Multiple brush fires doused in Dishman Hills Natural Area; one under investigation
The Spokane Valley Fire Department recently responded to several larger brush fires, a type of call that will likely increase as the region continues having hot and dry weather.
Several of those recent brush fires have happened in the Dishman Hills Natural Area. A new one was reported at 9 p.m. Aug. 10. The caller reported seeing flames in the hills above the CarMax dealership on East Appleway.
Crews discovered a fire 100 feet by 100 feet on a steep hillside that required firefighters to hike in. Crews from the Spokane Fire Department and the Department of Natural Resources helped get the fire under control in about two hours, said department spokeswoman Julie Happy.
The fire grew to about 250 feet by 300 feet before it was contained. The fire is under investigation by DNR and preliminary indications are that it was human-caused, Happy said. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office reported finding a man who was seen running from the fire.
A 911 caller reported seeing a fire near the 3000 block of North Idaho Road on the backside of Green Ridge at 12:51 p.m. on Aug. 12. The Department of Natural Resources arrived first and called a plane to dump water on the fire, but the plane was canceled after fire department crews were able to quickly contain the fire and limit its spread.
An engine from Kootenai Fire also responded . No homes were threatened and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Other calls Aug. 9-16
Aug. 10: A hazardous material response was started after a caller reported the odor of natural gas near the AutoZone near Evergreen and Sprague Avenue at 6:35 p.m. Crews reported an “acute smell” near the parking lot dumpster, which turned out to be coming from a bag of rotting fish.
Aug. 11: A resident in the area of Mica Park Drive and 12th Avenue called at 10:35 a.m. to report finding the burned remains of a “Chinese lantern” on his property. The man said he thinks someone has been launching the flying paper balloons that typically include a burning candle. The resident is near the Dishman Hills Natural Area, where several fires have started recently. The incident is under investigation.
Aug. 12: A fire was reported in the dumpster of a company that does wood floor refinishing in the area of Coleman Road and Girard Road. Neighbors had mostly put the fire out with a garden hose before crews arrived. A pile of rags was found inside the dumpster. The company owner was cautioned that chemical-soaked rags can spontaneously combust.
Aug. 14: The manager of a storage facility in the 16100 block of East Sprague Avenue called at 12:17 p.m. to report a chemical smell coming from a unit. Crews noticed a slight ammonia odor and put on their air masks and gear before cutting the lock and entering the unit. They found multiple propane tanks, fuel tanks and gas-powered appliances, but the smell appeared to be coming from a pile of rotting leaves.
Aug. 15: A dryer fire was reported at a truck stop at Thierman Road and Broadway Avenue at 7:12 a.m. The fire was put out quickly and did not spread. Bushes were reported on fire at Trent Elementary School at 3:18 p.m. The fire were quickly put out. Several children told crews that another child had told them he had lit the bushes on fire and gave a description of him. A small, smoldering fire was reported in landscaping bark in the 1800 block of North Harvest Parkway at 8:20 p.m. No ignition source could be located.
By the numbers: Crews responded to 388 calls the week of Aug. 10-16, including 307 calls for emergency medical services. Other responses included 25 car crashes, a child accidentally locked inside a car, a man who became trapped after he triggered the seat forward button in his car, a roadside shrine with burning candles, and several backyard fires that were illegal because of the current burn ban.