Moses Lake Fire Department responded Tuesday evening to a sagebrush fire, which started in a shelterless encampment behind Ten Pin Inn & Suites (1157 N. Stratford Road).

MLFD Assistant Fire Chief/Fire Marshal Derek Beach said the department received the call around 6:30 p.m., while several crews were on their way back from a structure fire, which a sprinkler system was able to control, when the call came in.

“We were coming back from that and saw the smoke of this and got dispatched almost momentarily after that,” Beach said.

The fire was started in the encampment and spread into the sagebrush and other belongings around the property. Beach said the plastic from the tents and other belongings lended themselves to the billowing black smoke in the sky. He said sagebrush can sometimes do that, too.

Once crews arrived at the fire, they were able to quickly subdue the blaze, Beach said, and were mopping up by 8 p.m. He also said there were no injuries.

The cause of the blaze was unclear at press time.