— by Margie Doyle —

Orcas Fire and Rescue Chief Mik Preysz announced at 10 a.m. Sunday morning, July 5, that the smoke islanders are observing is from a fire at Portage Island in Bellingham Bay.

Firefighters from the Department of Natural Resources are fighting the Portage Island fire, and further information will be coming from Chief Preysz as soon as possible.

Preysz advises that all burning will be prohibited by this Friday, and that only barbecue and charcoal briquet burning will be allowed.

(from The Bellingham Herald by Ralph Schwartz):

A fast-moving fire on the south end of Portage Island forced holiday campers to evacuate.

No one was injured in the fire, which had burned an estimated five acres of forestland on the undeveloped island by 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. Multiple reports of smoke and flames started coming into 911 dispatch at 4:03 p.m.

“It’s burned from the beach on the south part of the island up into the trees,” said Bill Hewett, assistant chief for Fire District 8 in Marietta, which was the first fire crew on the scene.

After climbing quickly up a steep slope, the fire began to creep through timber on flatter terrain, Department of Natural Resources fire spokesman Chris Hankey said. DNR took over command of the fire from the Marietta fire district.

(Read more here: https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article26520439)

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