Brush fire in Otis Orchards causes temporary evacuation
CAROLYN BOSTICK | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 2 months AGO
A brush fire was contained to 2 acres in Otis Orchards, Wash., on Wednesday after being swiftly reported.
Courtesy of Spokane Valley Fire Department
Spokane Valley firefighters responded to a brush fire in Otis Orchards on Wednesday. Swift reporting of the fire and containment led to evacuated families being able to return to their homes.
Carolyn Bostick has worked for the Coeur d’Alene Press since June 2023. She covers Shoshone County and Coeur d'Alene. Carolyn previously worked in Utica, New York at the Observer-Dispatch for almost seven years before briefly working at The Inquirer and Mirror in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Since she moved to the Pacific Northwest from upstate New York in 2021, she's performed with the Spokane Shakespeare Society for three summers. | August 24, 2023 1:00 AM
OTIS ORCHARDS — Five homes in Otis Orchards, Wash., had to be temporarily evacuated Wednesday when a vehicle located near dry brush caught fire.
Spokane Valley Fire Department was dispatched around 11:30 a.m. to a vehicle fire in the 4400 block of North Campbell Road in Otis Orchards. The resulting fire started spreading north to a nearby field and windy conditions caused the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office to help with the temporary evacuations of five homes as a precaution.
Just before 1 p.m., progression of the fire had been stopped to more than 2 acres and families were able to safely return to their homes.
Water supplies are a concern in rural areas of Spokane County, but firefighters were able to secure more water and fire support from the Spokane Fire Department, Spokane County Fire districts 8, 9 and 13, the Department of Natural Resources and the Bureau of Land Management.
Hotspots are being monitored and contained. Brush conditions remain dry and flammable and residents are urged to be conscientious and park away from dry groundcover.
“Fire agencies ask our citizens to remove vehicles whether they work or not from areas of dry brush. Do not park on or near dry brush,” Spokane Valley Fire Chief Frank Soto Jr said.
Soto said that due to the ongoing efforts to combat the Gray and Oregon fires, staff and resources are spread thin.
“If you see something, say something. This fire was called in right away, which made a big difference to the success of keeping those nearby homes protected and open for families to return,” he said.
