BENTON COUNTY, Wash. – A prescribed burn by the department of transportation unexpectedly turned into a small brush fire near the Rattlesnake Mountain Shooting Facility Tuesday morning.
The Washington State Department of Transportation confirmed the fire happened while crews were burning tumbleweeds around the culverts of Highway 225. Benton County Fire Protection District Two reminded residents to burn safely.
Fire Chief Dennis Bates, who responded to the incident, said that just because the area looks safe, it doesn’t mean it’s not going to ignite.
“In our neighborhood, in the basin here, there’s still dead dry fuels under the green stuff that’s growing there. It’ll still carry fire right now,” Bates said. “It just needs a little bit of wind or topography to take off and go.”
While the transportation department followed all precautions, including briefings, monitoring wind conditions and having water trucks on standby, the fire still found a path.
“As the weather changes, just be, you know, fire wise, watch what’s going on and make sure you have defensible space around your house,” Bates said. “When we do have a large wildfire in those wildland urban interface areas, that’s the difference in your house standing and not.”
Chief Bates noted that his department has no prescribed burns planned for the future but will be putting in dozer lines at the Rattlesnake Mountain Shooting Facility the first weekend of June.
He also reminded residents to check with their local fire department and clean air agencies before burning, as well as check your area’s fire danger level.
