Fast attacks limit damage in trio of weekend blazes

 

Last updated 8/18/2011 at Noon

HEADED TO HELP. A fire truck throws up a modest cloud of dust when compared to the smoke plume rising from a stubble field fire late Friday afternoon near Thiel Road and the Dirks family farm.

Wheat, stubble and rangeland were the only casualties of three different fires last weekend in the Ritzville area.

Firefighters spent between two and three hours Sunday afternoon on a blaze that started near milepost 214 on Interstate 90.

Seven trucks responded to the 12:33 p.m. fire that torched 25 acres to the northeast of the freeway. Adams County Fire Protection District No. 1 Chief Scott Kembel said it is unknown what caused the fire.

Friday crews battled a pair of blazes.

Nine trucks and tankers from ACFPD 1 as well as mutual aid responded to a fire near Thiel and Griffith Roads north of Ritzville at 4:45 p.m. near the Dirks family home.

A fire possibly started by a combine raced north toward Davis Road. Adams County Fire Protection District No. 3 (Odessa) sent three brush trucks and one tanker while one tanker responded from Schoonover Farms, Kevin Kiehn battled with a small tanker and Smith Air joined the battle with an airplane.

Kembel said about 80 acres owned by Herb Benzel were consumed by the fire that kept firefighters busy for more than three hours.

Earlier that day, four brush trucks, three tankers and a plow responded to Urquhart and Marcellus Roads off of Highway 261 at 11:41 a.m.

A total of 15 acres burned, about half of which was wheat and the other half was stubble. Crews spent two to three hours at the site that was bordered by gravel roads and summer fallow, which provided a natural firebreak.

According to Robyn Wellsandt, wife of Steve Wellsandt who was cutting, her grandchildren were just getting off the combine when one noticed smoke.

The Wellsandts said it appeared the fire was started by something dropping off a truck headed to the grain elevator.

No equipment was damaged during the fire, but one of the brush trucks had issues with a fan on the motor and was out of commission. Pete’s Garage towed the truck to Ritzville, and the district is still waiting for parts to fix the vehicle.

According to Kembel, this year ACFPD 1 has started to use a plow it acquired late last year. He explained that once a fire is out, the district’s procedure is to use the plow and cut a border on the burn line to separate burned ground from unburned ground.

“We’ve really started using it this year,” Kembel said. “Last year was pretty quiet but this year we’re using it.”

Kembel also pointed out that firefighters truly appreciate those who respond as mutual aid as well as farmers who provide what they can at a fire.

With the amount of available fuel due to a good growing season, Kembel is asking for area farmers to make sure a disc plow is nearby in case a fire takes off.

“There’s a lot of dry material out there and a disc plow is a valuable tool… we sure appreciate farmers helping us with a disc plow or providing water.”

At the three blazes last weekend, Kembel said mutual aid included the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington State Patrol.

Despite the presence of law enforcement, Kembel noted that there were issues with non-emergency vehicles parking in the middle of the road and hampering response of fire trucks.

“With range fires and stubble fires especially, people need to remember to not park in the middle of the road,” he said. “It causes an issue for responding rigs because not all rigs respond at the same time… please keep out of the way because that stuff moves fast.”

 

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