Cause of Radar Hill fire is undetermined

OTHELLO - Several fire department agencies responded to an approximately 700-acre fire on Radar Hill near Othello Sunday and Monday.

Adams County Fire District No. 5 responded to the grass and brush fire at approximately 10 p.m. Sunday night and remained at the scene until 8 p.m. Monday, Fire Chief Clyde Fought said Tuesday.

Three units from Franklin County Fire District No. 4 and one unit from Columbia National Wildlife Refuge assisted with the effort.

The cause of the fire is undetermined, he said. There was lightning and a controlled burn in a nearby orchard at the time the fire was reported, Fought said.

Firefighters dealt with steep terrain on the hill and were unable to immediately access some parts of the fire, he said. They approached the fire strategically by containing the perimeter of the fire at the crest of the hill and waited until it reached a natural water source allowing them better access to extinguish it.

"It was just fast and furious for quite a long time," Fought said.

There were no injuries and no structures were damaged, he said. Approximately 30 firefighters responded to the fire on rotating shifts. The department went back to the scene Tuesday morning to check for hot spots and any signs the fire might reignite. They found no hazards.

Fought said the dry and hot weather will continue through the summer and warns people to take precautions to prevent wildland fires.