FORKS — Wildand fires on state Department of Natural Resources land on the West End kept firefighters busy Sunday into Monday.
Clallam County Fire District No. 1 Fire Chief Bill Paul said there were three wildland fires Sunday and that no homes appeared to be at risk.
A slash burn near state Highway 113 and U.S. Highway 101 got out of control when winds kicked up, he said. It ended up burning at least 5 acres.
He said it burned through the unit, but “never made it to the timber.”
Turned over to DNR
Paul said firefighters from his department responded initially and turned it over to DNR firefighters, who he said were still on scene Monday. The site was still smoking, he said.
Firefighters checked on a home off Clallam Bay Road, where homeowners could see the glow of the fire about an eighth of a mile away. He said the home was not in danger.
“We wanted to make sure that if the wind changed, we didn’t want it going toward that house,” he said.
He said firefighters were then called out to another wildland fire near U.S. Forest Service Road 2918, which follows stretches of Sol Duc Hot Springs Road.
He said he didn’t have details about that fire.
Lake Pleasant Road
Firefighters then battled a fire near East Lake Pleasant Road that burned through about 10 acres, he said.
Paul was on scene from 8:30 p.m. Sunday until 1:30 a.m. Monday.
The blaze started as a controlled slash burn on DNR land that got out of control when winds picked up.
He said the fire, which was also still sending up smoke Monday afternoon, was not threatening any nearby homes.
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsula dailynews.com.
