No injuries in Larson community attic fire
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 months, 4 weeks AGO
Firefighters prepare to ventilate the roof of a burning residence in the 1200 block of Lowry Street in Moses Lake. The fire was contained to the attic, said Grant County Fire District 5 Battalion Chief Travis Svilar.
COURTESY PHOTO/GCSO
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | November 20, 2025 5:32 PM
MOSES LAKE — Nobody was hurt in a fire Thursday afternoon in the Larson community, according to Grant County Fire District 5 Battalion Chief Travis Svilar.
“There was one occupant in the house at the time of the fire,” Svilar said. “She was able to escape without injury.”
The fire started in the attic of a residence in the 1200 block of Lowry Street, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. GCFD 5 crews were able to contain the fire to the attic, so it did not extend into the living area of the home, Svilar said.
“Crews arrived on the scene (and) reported a minimal amount of smoke from the (left) side of the structure, from the gable end vent,” Svilar said. “It was just a matter of minutes before we had smoke from both ends of the structure out of the gable end vents and then along the eaves.”
Firefighters ventilated the roof and contained the fire to the attic crawl space, Svilar said. The ceiling had to be pulled from the inside to make sure the fire was completely out, he said, leaving the residence in an uninhabitable condition.
The cause of the fire was undetermined at press time and is under investigation by the Grant County Fire Marshal’s Office, Svilar said.
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Endless battle
Noxious Weed Control Board works to keep invasive plants under control
MOSES LAKE — Some of the nastiest plants in Grant County were the topic of a class led by Jay Johnson, a consultant with the Grant County Noxious Weed Control Board, Tuesday. The Noxious Weed Control Board, as its name would suggest, is tasked with keeping weeds under control in Grant County. That’s not a small job; the board’s website lists 129 species of noxious weeds that are found around Grant County. A noxious weed is defined as an invasive, non-native plant that threatens agricultural crops, local ecosystems or fish and wildlife habitat, according to the Noxious Weed Control Board. Washington state law requires that these weeds be identified and their spread kept to a minimum, if not completely eradicated. “We’re one of those agencies a lot of people don’t really understand,” Johnson said. “We’re a county office and … our funding is tax-based assessment. When you get your tax bill and you look down at all the expenses that you pay for, there we are.”
BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 16-24
COLUMBIA BASIN — Whether you feel like shopping, crafting, learning or seeing a show, there’s something happening for you this week in the Basin. Oct. 16 ‘My Family (Mi Familia)’ screening Spanning three generations, “My Family (Mi Familia)” is a heartfelt drama that follows the Sánchez family as they build their lives in East Los Angeles. Through love, hardship, triumph, and sacrifice, the film explores the immigrant experience, the strength of family bonds, and the traditions that connect one generation to the next. Lowrider show and taco truck before the screening. Sponsored by Columbia Basin Allied Arts, EDUBS C/S and the Moses Lake Creative District. $12 per person. Doors open at 6 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. at the Moses Lake Civic Center Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. Tickets and info: www.cba-arts.org.
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