SOAP LAKE — Fire season has kicked off in Grant County with three fires in less than 24 hours – one just north and east of Soap Lake, one at the intersection of State Route 17 and Stratford Road in Moses Lake on Tuesday and another at Rocky Ford Creek between Ephrata and Moses Lake on Wednesday.

“We believe (the Rocky Ford Creek fire) was ignited by a tractor somewhere. It was originally a vehicle fire and right now is burning to the east. It’s about 400 acres, estimated. It’s burning in sagebrush and grass,” said Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman just before 3 p.m. Tuesday.

The Rocky Ford fire had the roadway closed due to smoke as of about 3:40 p.m. Wednesday, according to a GCSO statement. Foreman said the fire was estimated to be impacting about 400 acres and firefighters were having some minor difficulty getting to the blaze because only a trail was available to access the area. He added that the primary reason for the road closure was the amount of smoke reducing visibility in the area.

The Soap Lake fire occurred just north and east of the Smokiam RV Resort on private property in that area. Foreman said the local fire chief had jumped on the fire right away and requested all necessary assistance to quickly mitigate the damage and dangers caused by the fire with crews from Wilson Creek, Warden, Quincy and elsewhere helping fight the fire which was initially thought to be hundreds of acres but ended up being smaller.

“He probably made a really good call having all of these resources come out,” Foreman said.

He also said the warnings issued for Soap Lake to be prepared to evacuate were to ensure residents were alert in case winds shifted and brought the fires toward town.

The Soap Lake fire was contained by 9:30 p.m. and crews stayed on hand to patrol for hot spots throughout Tuesday evening and into Wednesday morning, Foreman said.

The National Weather Service estimates that winds hit about 15 mph Wednesday in Soap Lake, with gusts of higher wind speeds.

Foreman said two brush trucks and two fire engines initially responded to the fire in Moses Lake Tuesday afternoon. The fire was located in the northwestern corner of the intersection of SR 17 and Stratford Road, near the 76 station located in that area. Smoke caused reduced visibility at the Stratford Road overpass at times while the fire was burning. The Moses Lake Fire Department responded to the fire.

These three fires follow a Monday fire which was quickly contained near the Wild Horse Monument on Monday between George and Vantage. Firefighting crews used a helicopter to take down that blaze.

First responders recommend signing up for text notifications in order to hear about fire and other dangers in the area. To subscribe, simply text GCSHERIFF to 888777 in Grant County.

R. Hans “Rob” Miller may be reached by email editor@columbiabasinherald.com.

An ounce of prevention:

To protect homes from fire, area firefighting agencies ask that residents near the edge of town or in the country keep a buffer area between their homes and undeveloped areas. This means removing items such as dry brush that would fuel a fire.

Additionally, firefighters ask that tow chains be secured so that they won’t drag on the ground and cause sparks, and that matches and cigarette butts be disposed of properly.

As a reminder, Grant County has a burn ban in effect throughout the summer. For more information on the ban and preventive measures you can take to protect your home, contact your local fire department.