Spokane Valley Fire roundup: Crews respond to small incidents as outdoor burn ban remains in effect
The Spokane Valley Fire Department had a bit of a breather the week of Aug. 16 to 22 with no reports of large fires despite the wind and unsettled weather. There were, however, a large number of fire alarms that turned out to be false. Some of the alarms appeared to have been caused by power outages.
Though the weather has been cooler, the burn ban covering much of Eastern Washington remains in effect. Barbecues are allowed, but recreational fires are still prohibited.
Other calls Aug. 16-22
Aug. 16: A brush fire was reported in the 12300 block of East Valleyway Avenue at 7:07 a.m. Crews found a small grass fire with a single tree burning. A person was reportedly seen leaving the area. The fire was put out.
Aug. 17: A construction trailer was reported on fire in a parking lot in the 10100 block of East Knox Avenue at 4:49 a.m. The trailer was fully in flames when crews arrived. The incident is under investigation.
Aug. 18: A dumpster fire was reported in the area of Sprague Avenue and Conklin Road at 6:25 p.m. There was a large amount of smoke, and the plastic lids had melted. The fire was put out.
Aug. 21: A call reporting a structure fire in the area of Whipple Road and Lenora Avenue was reported at 5:16 a.m., but no problem was found. It was determined someone called in a false report over the internet, something that has happened before regarding the same address. A smoldering railroad tie was reported on the BNSF tracks in the 5800 block of North Harvard Road at 3:13 p.m. Crews soaked the tie with water and foam and notified BNSF of the issue. An apartment fire was reported at the Granite Pointe Apartments at 12925 E. Mansfield Ave. at 5:28 p.m. The resident reported having a cooking fire that activated an overhead sprinkler, which put out the fire.
By the numbers: Crews responded to 472 calls the week of Aug. 16-22, including 382 calls for emergency medical services. Additional calls included 15 car crashes, a suspected fire that turned out to be smoke from a barbecue, another suspected fire that turned out to be running lights on a truck, suspected smoke that was actually dirt stirred up by a farmer tilling his field and two children accidentally locked inside separate vehicles.