3 Thurston County brush fires keep firefighters busy overnight

Three brush fires in Thurston County kept firefighters busy overnight.

Around 1 a.m. Thursday, East Olympia Fire was notified of a small fire on Stedman Road. When firefighters arrived, they found one small fire burning near McCorkle Road. After they put it out, two other fires sprung up on Stedman Road and 103rd Avenue.

According to East Olympia Fire Assistant Chief Mike Calhoun, the last fire of the night was the largest, burning nearly an acre, including part of a private pasture.

Firefighters put out the first two fires quickly, which Calhoun said were small, but took additional time putting out the last fire. Calhoun said firefighters had to get through fences to access parts of the fire.

The area is mostly covered with tall, dry grass, which the fire spread through quickly, he said. But, after 20 minutes, firefighters had the blaze under control and soon fully extinguished.

Thurston County Sheriff’s deputies came to investigate two of the three fires for arson, but did not find enough evidence for probable cause.

No one was injured in the fire, Calhoun said, and damage was minimal. Only part of a fence was damaged and estimates for repair are less than $100.

This story was originally published August 5, 2021 at 10:27 AM.