Spokane Valley Fire roundup: Crews answer brush fire calls
Perhaps the surest sign of spring is the small brush fires that begin springing up as the weather warms and fuels dry out. Fires have been cropping up all over Spokane County in the last week, and Spokane Valley is no different.
Spokane Valley Fire Department crews were called to a small brush fire between eastbound Interstate 90 and the Centennial Trail near the weigh station at Stateline at 5:46 a.m. on March 12. The fire was spotted and called in by a passing driver.
Firefighters found a fire 30 feet in diameter, burning in pine needles and light brush and spreading to some pine trees, said department spokeswoman Julie Happy. Crews were able to put the fire out quickly. There was evidence that transients had been in the area.
As the weather warms, people should avoid discarding cigarettes or doing any unsafe burning that could spread into a larger brush fire.
Other calls March 8-14
March 8: A fire alarm activation summoned crews to the 3000 block of North Pines Road at 2:29 a.m. It was determined a fake smoke machine was left on, and it tripped the alarm system. A vehicle fire was reported at Spokane Valley Mall at 11:06 a.m. The fire was contained to the engine compartment, but the interior of the car was damaged by smoke. The driver reported recently discovering an oil leak on the top of the engine.
March 9: A two-vehicle crash was reported in the 10700 block of East Valleyway Avenue. It was reported that one of the vehicles had rolled into a house. Police also responded.
March 11: Crews were called to a one-vehicle rollover crash on eastbound I-90 near the weigh station at Stateline at 2:31 p.m. A pickup truck had veered off the road, hitting a reader board trailer and flipping onto its roof. The driver was pinned inside and had to be cut from the truck. A black-and-white dog was ejected from the truck and took off running.
March 12: A vehicle fire was reported in the area of Riverside Avenue and Argonne Road at 3:44 p.m. Bystanders had put the fire out before crews arrived. The driver of the car was treated for minor burns on his hands.
March 13: An illegal fire was reported in the 20700 block of East Euclid Avenue. A large column of dark smoke could be seen a distance away. The homeowners were burning a large pile of plastic, fiberglass sheet roofing and siding, pieces of plastic pipe and lumber. The homeowners were told the fire was illegal, and they agreed to put the fire out.
By the numbers: Crews responded to 358 calls the week of March 8-14, including 300 calls for emergency medical services. Other responses included 16 car crashes, two small children accidentally locked inside separate vehicles, a fire call that turned out to be smoke from a barbecue and a vehicle fire that turned out to be a tire fire on a trailer being pulled on I-90.
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Nina Culver can be reached at nculver47@gmail.com