Fire burns 500 acres of orchards, cheat grass

Fire district No. 3 responds to Trinidad fire

TRINIDAD — Grant County Fire District No. 3 responded to a wildland fire that burned 500 acres in Trinidad near state Route 28, early Sunday morning.

The fire started at about 2 a.m., Fire Chief Don Fortier said. It burned the southeast side of the area known as Trinidad Hill and reached orchards.

The fire moved quickly due to intense heat and dry shrubbery, Fortier said.

About 10 structures were threatened but firefighters contained the fire and no structure damage was reported, he said.

No injuries were reported.

The majority of the fire was sagebrush and cheat grass. The fire caused substantial damage to an orchard that appeared to consist of apples and cherries, Fortier said. Several trees were scorched.

The fire was under control by 4 a.m. and firefighters remained at the scene until midnight, he said. Fortier was in the process of sending a fire truck to the scene Monday morning to check for hot spots.

It appears the fire was caused by people lighting fireworks, he said. He advised it is illegal to set of fireworks this time of year and people need to remember not to use fire in dry areas.

Douglas County Fire District No. 2, Grant County Fire District No. 13 and the Ephrata Fire Department assisted with extinguishing the fire.