Wildland-Urban Interface Fire
1600 Block of South Royal Street
July 2, 2019 - 5:01 PM
With numerous 911 calls reporting a brush fire near Sunset Drive and South Royal Street, teams of firefighters from the Spokane Fire Department, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Fire District 10 responded to the area where they discovered a fast-moving fire in vegetation and large trees west of the Sleepy Hollow Apartments.
In a regional response, more than 30 personnel responded and worked through rugged terrain to attack the blaze. With the efforts of all three agencies, they successfully stopped the fire's advance, holding the fire's impact to less than an acre of dense forest and vegetation.
Structures were threatened, however, due to the aggressive and swift action of firefighters, none were damaged, and no civilians were injured.
The fire was 100% contained this afternoon; however, DNR firefighters will maintain a presence and keep a close eye on the burn area over the evening, ensuring the volatile vegetation would not reignite out of control and that the residents remain safe.
DNR and SFD investigators are investigating the cause of the fire.
The SFD reminds homeowners living in areas susceptible to fires to take all necessary measures now to protect their homes against the threat of wildland fires.
Homeowners should take, at a minimum, the following precautions around their home in preparation:
-Maintain an area of non-combustible material within 3 feet of structures -Maintain surface vegetation at 3 inches or less -Remove all downed trees, brush, limbs, etc.
-Thin trees to ten feet between crowns
-Prune limbs on trees to fifteen feet above the ground -Dispose of all slash and flammable debris from your property.
-Clean the roof and gutters of needles, leaves, branches and other combustible materials -Locate the propane tank at least 10 feet from the structure and within a ten-foot clearing.
-Stack your firewood at least 100 feet from the house and always on the uphill side.
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