Vancouver Firefighters Contain Large Brush Fire (Photo)
- 06/05/23
Today, at approximately 2:15 PM the Vancouver Fire Department responded to a reported grass/brush fire on a hillside off the Burnt Bridge Creek Trail between NE Andresen Road and NE 86th Avenue. Several witnesses calling 911 reported seeing flames approximately ten feet tall burning uphill through thick vegetation, being driven by strong winds.
Utilizing a coordinated attack, fire units deployed from the Burnt Bridge Creek trailhead off NE Andresen Road and began attacking the fire from below while additional units responded to the uphill side of the fire, to the 8000 block of NE 16th Street to protect homes and begin attacking the fire from above. Firefighting efforts proved difficult due to thick vegetation, steep terrain, and increased fire volatility driven by twenty mile per hour winds. Crews also had to carefully work around several high-voltage overhead lines located directly above the fire.
It took seventeen fire units with approximately thirty-five firefighters to bring the two-acre fire under control. Firefighting crews with the Washington Department of Natural Resources responded to the scene to assist and a firefighting helicopter was placed on standby but never utilized.
As a precaution, a total of twelve homes were evacuated to ensure the safety of residents. The evacuation lasted approximately three hours. No injuries were reported.
The fire is under investigation by the Vancouver Fire Marshals Office.
The Vancouver Fire department was assisted by Washington Department of Natural Resources, Clark Public Utilities, Bonneville Power Administration and Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency.
Vancouver Firefighters Contain Large Brush Fire (Photo)
- 06/05/23
Today, at approximately 2:15 PM the Vancouver Fire Department responded to a reported grass/brush fire on a hillside off the Burnt Bridge Creek Trail between NE Andresen Road and NE 86th Avenue. Several witnesses calling 911 reported seeing flames approximately ten feet tall burning uphill through thick vegetation, being driven by strong winds.
Utilizing a coordinated attack, fire units deployed from the Burnt Bridge Creek trailhead off NE Andresen Road and began attacking the fire from below while additional units responded to the uphill side of the fire, to the 8000 block of NE 16th Street to protect homes and begin attacking the fire from above. Firefighting efforts proved difficult due to thick vegetation, steep terrain, and increased fire volatility driven by twenty mile per hour winds. Crews also had to carefully work around several high-voltage overhead lines located directly above the fire.
It took seventeen fire units with approximately thirty-five firefighters to bring the two-acre fire under control. Firefighting crews with the Washington Department of Natural Resources responded to the scene to assist and a firefighting helicopter was placed on standby but never utilized.
As a precaution, a total of twelve homes were evacuated to ensure the safety of residents. The evacuation lasted approximately three hours. No injuries were reported.
The fire is under investigation by the Vancouver Fire Marshals Office.
The Vancouver Fire department was assisted by Washington Department of Natural Resources, Clark Public Utilities, Bonneville Power Administration and Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency.
