Wind-Whipped Brush Fire Torches Six Acres Near Ephrata

A fast-moving brush fire burned six acres of land in Grant County near Ephrata on Saturday afternoon.

Officials with Grant County Fire District No. 13 say the blaze ignited in the 1900 block of State Route 28 from a controlled burn that wasn't properly extinguished and spread rapidly in high winds.

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Crews from Grant County Fire Districts 3, 7, and 13, and the Ephrata Fire Department quickly established containment lines around the fire and prevented it from jumping a set of railroad tracks and moving into a wide expanse of dry grass and brush near the Ephrata Airport.

The blaze also reached a small area of federally-owned land before being put out, which prompted the response of crews from the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.

A utility pole was destroyed in the fire and required immediate replacement by crews with the Grant County PUD, but no structures were damaged in the blaze and no injuries were reported.

The fire occurred only hours before a county-wide burn ban went into effect which prohibits debris burning until Sept. 30.

10 Tips To Prevent Wildfires

Smokey The Bear said it best, "only you can prevent wildfires." Well, it's a lot easier said than done, Smokey. Great name for a bear trying to warn us about fire hazards, by the way.

In order to prevent wildfires, you have to first know how they can be prevented. Here are 10 tips provided by the Department Of Interior that will help you in your every day life, so you can enjoy being outside, camping, and having bonfires without it turning into a problem.

Here are their 10 tips, along with some simplified explanations from me.

Gallery Credit: Cort Freeman