Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Fire District No. 5 responds to three fires in region over the weekend
A Department of Natural Resources helicopter fights a fire that broke out April 16 on North Hawk Creek Road. The fire burned 40 acres before crews controlled it April 17.
Flames engulf acreage April 16 on North Hawk Creek Road. The fire jumped across multiple properties before it was controlled.
DAVENPORT – The Department of Natural Resources instituted a burn ban for all area in Lincoln County north of Highway 2 beginning at dawn April 16 due to concerns over high winds and dry conditions, unless one had a DNR permit. One resident on Hawk Creek Road North about 13 miles north of Davenport didn't heed the ban, as they had a DNR permit according to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, and began to burn on their property.
The result was a 40-acre fire after the burn got out of control. Crews from Lincoln County Fire District No. 5 in Davenport, DNR and LC Fire District No. 7 in Lincoln responded to the blaze, according to Fire District No. 5 chief Craig Sweet. DNR crews, which included a helicopter, worked from Friday, April 16 to Saturday, April 17 to tend the flames.
Because the resident reportedly had a DNR permit, they won't face criminal citations from the sheriff's office, Sheriff Wade Magers said. Any enforcement would come from DNR or the Bureau of Land Management, he added.
The fire crossed from the resident's property to neighboring properties before crews controlled the blaze. This isn't the first time this resident has had issues with the fire department and their neighbors, Sweet noted.
Another nearby fire at Hawk Creek Estates claimed just a quarter acre April 16 after a resident burned a small pile of debris before the flames got away from him when winds began to swirl.
Then, late Sunday night April 18, winds howled throughout Lincoln County. A wind advisory was in place, and warnings of blowing dust causing sight impediments for drivers were issued. The winds caused a transformer to blow and caught a non-occupied residence on fire about a mile down Valley Road near Rocklyn.
"The house hadn't been occupied for 20 years," Sweet said. "Being that far out, by the time someone noticed it and reported the fire, (the house) was burned to the ground."
Preparing for fire season
Sweet said if conditions remain as dry as they have so far this season and the high winds keep up, this could be a busy fire season for District No. 5 and its 28 volunteers based in Davenport. The lack of snow in February and early March didn't help the dry climate receive some needed moisture, he added.
"It's usually windy this time of year, but not this strong," he said. "I can think back to five or six years ago when 20 mph winds were astronomical. Now, we see winds upwards of 45 mph. It's getting phenomenal."
He expects a possible county wide burn ban to come earlier than normal this year. DNR has already issued a burn ban for areas of the county north of Highway 2 unless one has a legal burning permit from the DNR.
The fire district is fully staffed with its local partnerships. In addition to the 28 staff members based in Davenport (with two more expected to interview this week), there are 16 at Deer Meadows and 12 at Egypt. The district is entirely volunteer-based, however, so Sweet noted that the volunteers do a great job preparing for the season while attending trainings and meetings, it can be dicey to predict who will be available if a fire breaks out.
"We'll have our satellite tanks filled," Sweet said. "We'll all be ready to go and pray that nothing happens."
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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