BRINNON — A fire that began in the Brothers Wilderness area early Thursday was brought under control later that day through a cooperative effort among two state agencies and a local fire department.
The fire reported at 12:47 a.m. had been put out for the most part by Thursday afternoon, and mop-up procedures had begun, Brinnon Fire Chief Patrick Nicholson said.
Crews were expected to stay in the area Thursday night and finish mopping up today, he said.
Only about 2 acres were affected in the area between the Brothers Wilderness and Murhut Falls in Olympic National Forest, Nicholson said.
Personnel with the National Forest Service, the state Department of Natural Resources and the Brinnon fire department fought the fire about 7 to 10 miles away from U.S. Highway 101 in an area accessible only by logging roads.
The ascent into the area began at 2:56 a.m., and efforts to extinguish the fire began at 3:24 a.m.
No cause for the fire had been determined as of Thursday, DNR spokeswoman Janet Pearce said.
An investigation will begin as soon as the firefighting efforts end, she added.
The Brothers Wilderness is located on the east side of the national forest, north of Lena Lake in Jefferson County.
No state land was burned, Pearce said.
DNR provided two engines, two land crews and a water tender, she added.
The blaze was reported by a caller in Seabeck reporting that smoke was visible from the community on the opposite side of the Hood Canal.
DNR and Forest Service crews determined the location using a compass and a map and proceeded up Forest Service logging roads while the Brinnon Fire Department maintained the incident command center.
The Brinnon Fire Department relinquished command of the effort to the DNR officer at the fire but stayed involved in bringing water to the staging area and aiding communications, Nicholson said.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
