Fire crews busy despite burn ban

Officials urge compliance to halt further fires

GRANT COUNTY — Record heat and illegal burn barrels are continuing to be a problem for fire crews, despite a countywide burn ban put into place earlier this month.

Grant County fire marshals had by Friday issued four citations within Grant County Fire District No. 5 boundaries since the ban was put into effect. Two of those citations were the result of illegal burn barrels.

"Burn barrels are illegal, period," said Grant County Fire District No. 5 Battalion Chief Leonard Johnson.

Grant County Fire District No. 5 firefighters responded to two large fires Thursday, one 30 acres and one 60 acres, one of which was related to the burn ban. Fines for violating the burn ban vary, but a fine for using an illegal burn barrel is $300, and the fine for littering a cigarette is $1,025.

Johnson said especially with the high temperatures, there is an increased chance of fires in grassy wildland areas. Fire officials have previously said the mild and wet spring led to a larger than normal crop of grass in rural fields, creating more fuel for errant fires.

The Grant County Commissioners cited the high grass which could fuel fires when instituting the emergency countywide burn ban earlier this month. The ban was also initiated after several large fires erupted around the county in late June.

All residential burning, with the exception of barbecuing, has been banned under the action until further notice. Camp fires have been left at the discretion of the agency operating the campground, and no private campsite or home ring fires are permitted under the ban.

A fire last Tuesday that burned more than 100 acres and destroyed one home and two dozen cars near Road 10 north of Moses Lake, still remains under investigation, Johnson said.