Briefs: Cigarette ignites woman’s blanket

A 42-year-old Spokane woman was severely burned Sunday morning after embers from the cigarette she was smoking ignited the blanket wrapped around her.

The woman, who is confined to a wheelchair, was unable to get out of her chair, said Dave Haworth, a Spokane Fire Department battalion chief. “Two nearby bystanders came to her aid, removed her from the wheelchair and extinguished the fire that was encompassing her.”

The woman suffered second- and third-degree burns on nearly 30 percent of her body, officials said. The wheelchair was completely destroyed.

Jensen-Byrd razing permit revoked

The city of Spokane has revoked the demolition permit for the historic Jensen-Byrd building because plans on what to do with the building have been put on hold.

The building had been sold by Washington State University, but in August the Texas-based Campus Advantage backed out of its plan to purchase the six-story brick building. The development company planned to tear it down and replace it with modern apartments.

That plan to demolish the 103-year-old building raised criticism from area residents and preservationists, who said the building is important historically and worth renovating.

A Washington State University spokesman said officials plan to wait a year or more before reconsidering the building’s fate.

Burn ban extended to every county

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire has extended her emergency burn ban to include all counties in Washington.

No outdoor burning is allowed in the state through midnight, Oct. 15.

The governor said the reason for the extended ban is the state’s long stretch of warm, dry weather, which has elevated fire danger.

The burn ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including but not limited to campfires, bonfires, yard debris cleanup, weed abatement, agriculture-related burning and ignition of fireworks.