Nearly 500 acres burn, outbuildings destroyed in Benton County wildfires
Nearly 500 acres of grass and brush burned across two new fires in the Tri-Cities.
Benton County Fire District 1 firefighters battled a nearly 390-acre fire near Badger Road Thursday, and then battled another fire near Meals and Toothaker roads on Friday.
Firefighters were called out to South 506 PR Southeast about 4 p.m. Thursday to a fire that started along a ridge line. High winds pushed the fires toward homes along 506 PR SE, Taggart PR, 95 PR and 805 PR, Benton County Deputy Chief Ryan Nicholls told the Tri-City Herald.
Benton County Fire District 1 was joined by Benton County fire districts 2 and 4 and Walla Walla Fire District 5, Franklin County fire districts 3 and 5 as well a Kennewick, Pasco and Richland fire departments. The Bureau of Land Management joined efforts as the blaze burned onto federal land.
They had help from a helicopter to help contain the fire.
The blaze destroyed four outbuildings, and while several homes were threatened, they were able to stop the fire from destroying them.
Firefighters remained on the scene Friday monitoring the blaze.
Investigators believe the fire was caused by people, but it’s not entirely clear how it happened, Nicholls said.
Benton County firefighters were called to Meals and Toothaker roads south of Finley about 8:30 a.m. Friday. When firefighters arrived, they found two fires burning about 15 acres of grass and brush.
By about 10 a.m., the fire had grown to about 40 acres. It was contained on two sides, and firefighters were working on containing the blaze using a bulldozer.
No structures were threatened in the blaze, and no one was hurt in the fire.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The fires come as wildfire season in the Tri-Cities appears to be in full swing. A week of above average temperatures has dried out brush and grass that has grown during the spring.
Benton County Fire District 1 has fought three wildland fires in the last two days, they responded to a blaze on Game Farm Road Thursday morning that scorched 15 acres.
Officials are asking people to avoid areas firefighters are dealing with brushfires. Firefighters have been battling traffic pulling into the scene and getting in the way, according to dispatch reports.
With the dry weather expected to continue, fire officials are asking people to be careful to keep the area around their homes green and keep flammable vegetation a safe distance away.