Crews battle small brush fires throughout Inland Northwest on Sunday afternoon

Fire crews throughout the region battled a trio of small blazes Sunday afternoon as temperatures climbed above 80 degrees with light winds.

Aircraft dropped water onto a fire in grass, brush and light timber near Mirabeau Park in Spokane Valley on Sunday afternoon, said Guy Gifford, a spokesman for the Washington Department of Natural Resources. The department, Spokane Valley Fire Department and Spokane County Fire District 8 crews were called to respond to the fire, reported just after 3 p.m. The fire had burned roughly 5 acres and was fully contained as of 6 p.m.

No injuries or damage to structures were reported, and no one had to be evacuated, said Scott Niebuhr, spokesman for the Spokane Valley Fire Department. Crews remained in the area for several hours after the fire was contained to put out hot spots.

Another fire on the north shore of Diamond Lake in Pend Oreille County required an air response just before 3 p.m., Gifford said. The U.S. Forest Service, Department of Natural Resources and Pend Oreille Fire District 3 responded to the blaze that was threatening some structures, Gifford said. The fire was believed to be 2 to 3 acres in size.

A third fire consumed about 25 acres near Downs Lake, east of the town of Sprague. The fire, initially reported a little before 1 p.m., had been knocked down as of 4:30 p.m. It was 50% contained and no homes are threatened, Gifford said.

“Crews have been making good progress,” he said.

Calm winds and sunny skies are forecast for Spokane on Monday, with high temperatures near 80 degrees.