Firefighters remind residents of burn ban

Five acres were consumed outside Springdale, WA this afternoon.

The Department of Natural Resources was aided by Stevens County Fire and four aircraft and quickly had the blaze under control. A large kennel and a horse trailer were the only casualties and no animals were injured.

Stevens County Fire Chief Mike Bucy says no one should take these hot, dry conditions for granted.

“Don’t burn,” says Bucy. “There’s not only a Stevens County burn ban in effect, a total burn ban, but through Governor Inslee’s proclamation, there remains a burn ban for the eastern part of Washington state as well.”

The cause is still under investigation, but Bucy says with this weather, it doesn’t take much.

“It takes one little ember that either you’re not paying attention to or it gets in this very dry underbrush and it will take off very quickly and no matter what preparations you think you have, it’s probably not enough,” adds Bucy.