Fire season is here, crews say. Several fires have already broken out in Thurston County this week

Several fires broke out across Thurston County on Tuesday, signaling that the dry summer season is here.

Just before 12:45 a.m., a home on the 800 block of 140th Avenue Southwest near Tenino was destroyed.

The resident was not home at the time of the fire, but a cat did escape. Its cause was not immediately known because crews arrived to find the home fully engulfed in flames.

Just before 2 p.m. Tuesday, a fast-moving brush fire in the 180th block of Cider Court Southwest in Rochester prompted a heavy response.

Several crews worked to slow the blaze, which the West Thurston Fire estimates reached half of an acre. The fire, which was started in an area with grass clippings and yard debris, threatened several homes, Capt. Lanette Dyer later posted on Facebook.

The fire was extinguished quickly, but burned through trees, fences and part of a small shed before it was slowed.

"Try to avoid making large yard clippings piles," Dyer wrote on Facebook. "And, never run equipment over that pile to reduce the height.

"Remember, we do not want to create conditions that trap heat inside these piles of rotting clippings, mulch or compost and cause spontaneous combustion."

According to scanner traffic, another brush fire broke out at the 10300 block of Clark Road Southeast in Yelm, though a smaller response was needed to contain it.

This story was originally published June 27, 2018 at 7:58 AM.