Accidental fire burns wildland, transient camp
PHOTO: Smoke rises into the air from a wildland fire between the railroad tracks and the lake Friday afternoon. A Moses Lake Fire Department shift captain said it took 17 minutes to get the fire under control.
One injured, transported to hospital
The Moses Lake Fire Department was dispatched to a wildland fire at 1064 Marina Drive Friday at 2:07 p.m.
The fire was in a section of wildland area between the railroad tracks and the lake, said Richard Penrose, shift captain for the MLFD.
"This area was located just east of Holmes Brothers' lumberyard," Penrose said. "It was put under control fairly quickly."
Three brush trucks, a tanker and two ambulances responded to the fire.
"The only damage was to the ground cover in the wildland," Penrose said. "We were able to protect the exposures to the Holmes Brothers' yard, and there was some damage to a transient's camp and personal effects or property located in the area."
Penrose said the fire was determined to be an accidental cause, and that the department was not sure whether it was cooking or smoking that caused the fire.
One patient was transported to Samaritan Healthcare with some burns, but Penrose did not know how extensive.
The fire was declared under control in 17 minutes, at 2:24 p.m.
Penrose said one unit remained on the scene to mop up the "fairly heavily covered area."
"(It's) a fairly long time to get it out," he said.