PORT ANGELES — A 2-acre wildland fire south of Port Angeles has been contained along a ridgetop known as the Six Pack area at Black Diamond and Little River roads, Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue said.
The fire, which was reported just before 4 a.m. Saturday, was visible from most areas of Port Angeles, but there was no risk to homes or people, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said.
There were no injuries through Saturday afternoon.
Crews from the state Department of Natural Resources remained on the scene to manage the fire, according to a press release from Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue.
There may be some residual smoke in the area as the hot spots are being mopped up, the fire district said.
DNR crews also will conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire, Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue Chief Jake Patterson said.
Firefighters were dispatched at 3:49 a.m. for smoke investigation and requested additional volunteer and off-duty firefighters for assistance.
When they reached Black Diamond Road, firefighters in the first responding engine could see the glow and smoke column of a fire near the ridge south of Port Angeles.
Mutual Aid was requested for an engine from the Port Angeles Fire Department and DNR was notified of the fire, Patterson said.
Crews had to attempt access via various DNR service roads in the area before the fire was eventually located. At the time, it was about 1.5 acres and burning in forest slash and extending into the tree line, Patterson said.
The crews began to deploy hose lines along a recreation trail as there was no direct road access to the location, the fire district said. Hoses were deployed along the eastern, western and southern flanks of the fire to stop the spread.
The fire was burning slower to the north along the tree line. An additional water tender was requested mutual aid from Clallam County Fire District 4.
Once DNR crews arrived, the fire was transitioned over to its management. DNR crews brought in a bulldozer to place a containment line around the fire that was not within the tree line. A helicopter also was called in to assist with suppression along the northern part of the fire within the trees, Patterson said.
Additional DNR resources were en route to help fully extinguish the fire.
At about 10 a.m., Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue and Port Angeles Fire Department crews were released from the fire except for one Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue water tender, which stayed on and helped supply water.
Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue responded with one structural fire engine, one wildland engine, one water tender, one ambulance and one chief vehicle with a total of nine personnel. The Port Angeles Fire Department responded with one fire engine crew and one chief officer with a total of three personnel. Clallam County Fire District #4 responded with one water tender and three personnel.
