Even as North Olympic Peninsula law enforcement officials saw a lull in fireworks-related complaints, Clallam firefighters responded to multiple fires Monday and Tuesday in which fireworks are thought to be to blame.
Residents of the 2000 block of Place Road, west of Port Angeles, awoke Tuesday to a large driftwood fire likely caused by fireworks.
They then worked together to keep the fire from spreading by using buckets and a garden hose, said Clallam County Fire District No. 2 Chief Sam Phillips.
The fire was first reported about 6:55 a.m. Tuesday with flames up to 5 feet tall.
Winds from the Strait of Juan de Fuca fueled the fire, but the residents were able to prevent it from spreading while waiting for firefighters.
Phillips said he is thankful that citizens formed a fire brigade and prevented the fire from spreading.
Residents Ricardo Fleischfreffer and Doug Klapfstein were instrumental in the initial attack of the fire, said fire officials.
The fire came on the heels of a long Monday night for the firefighters, who were extinguishing several beach fires along the lower Elwha River off Charles Road.
Firefighters responded at about 10:37 p.m. Monday to a report of a brush fire near 400 Charles Road on the Lower Elwha Klallam reservation.
The brush fire on the beach was spreading quickly under high wind conditions, said Assistant Chief Mike DeRousie.
He estimated the fire to be about 50 feet by 40 feet.
The brush fire was the main concern, but firefighters also had to extinguish four campfires along the beach that were abandoned.
“People need to put out their fires on the beach when they are done enjoying them, especially in high winds,” he said. “I can’t believe people would walk away from them.”
Winds could have carried sparks to nearby brush, which could have threatened nearby homes, DeRousie said.
Firefighters had the five fires along Charles Road extinguished by about 1:45 a.m. Tuesday, he said.
Just before responding to the brush fire call, firefighters responded to a roof that had caught fire at Lake Sutherland.
DeRousie believes fireworks lit the roof ablaze.
“When I was out there, there was fireworks being shot all over the place,” he said. “It sounded like a war zone.”
The fire might have also been caused by sparks from a wood stove, he said.
When firefighters arrived, they found the fire had already been extinguished.
While firefighters extinguished fires likely caused by fireworks, officers in Port Angeles and Port Townsend were enforcing fireworks bans.
Port Angeles Police Cpl. David Dombrowski said the number of fireworks complaints this year was noticeably lighter than usual.
This is the first year of fireworks being banned in Port Angeles, and officers didn’t need to hand out any citations, he said.
People using fireworks within city limits could have faced $500 fines.
Officers responded to 28 fireworks complaints and gave warnings as they were patrolling between calls, Dombrowski said.
Few used fireworks on Ediz Hook, which is typically a “very big problem,” he said.
“We’re hoping in a couple of years the culture takes effect where people recognize the ban is in place,” he said. “Port Angeles is not the place to shoot off fireworks.”
Port Townsend had far fewer complaints, said Port Townsend Police Sgt. Garin Williams.
Port Townsend banned personal fireworks in 2003.
“It was very easy this year,” he said. “We only had five calls for fireworks complaints. Those were handled as a learning moment.”
Port Townsend police did not issue any fines.
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.
