— from Kimberley M. Kimple for Orcas Island Fire and Rescue —
UPDATE: Two Engine companies from the Department of Natural Resources, staffed with nine firefighters, are on Orcas today to assist with the final extinguishment of the fire yesterday on the Cold Springs Trail in Moran State park.
Orcas Island Fire and Rescue (OIFR) responded to reports of a wildfire in Moran State Park on Saturday at 4:18 p.m. Crews on scene identified a fire approximately 100’ x 100’ in size, half a mile up Cold Springs trail.
“The fire was very difficult to fight by hand with trees and snags down and lots of heavy underbrush,” reported Battalion Chief Patrick Shepler.
OIFR called in the Department of the Natural Resources who dispatched helicopter #338 and are helping bring the fire control utilizing water from Cascade Lake.
The fire was called in by several eye witnesses. “The biggest help in locating the fire came from cyclists on the trail who had eyes directly on the fire,” shares Shepler. Two hikers above the fire were able to make their way past the fire to safety and escape with no injuries.
The fire scene is still under watch, with crews remaining on the scene overnight. No cause has been determined.
San Juan County Fire Marshall, RJ Meyers, reminds San Juan County residents, “Due to the lack of rain this winter in conjunction with unusually high temperatures in late May and June fire risk is a lot higher in SJC this year and I encourage residents of the county to use extreme caution with campfires and other burning materials.”
At this time all permitted burning is closed, however, recreational campfires will remain open until further notice. Recreational Campfires are defined as a 2’x2’ foot fire consisting only of clean dry wood.
We should all have concerns about the danger of more fires. How do we educate the public about fire hazard at all times ? I have seen residues of burning at the base of a tree and burning without a water source etc
With the influx of vacation rentals and new property owners in the County, we need to have a way to educate the public.
What is the Fire Marshall’s office and the Fire Department doing to inform the public ?
Do we have to wait for a disaster ?
These guys and girls are awesome!
We are so fortunate to have a great firefighter and EMT team, but we need more than that, as they can’t be everywhere at once. We need to educate our people – adults, children, and tourists – about everything from lit cigarette butts to supposedly contained campfires or burn piles. The burn ban is on, so any smoke seen should be investigated – but what is being done about fireworks?
It’s only mid- June and governor Inslee declared an official drought over a month ago, but you can’t legislate against stupid, careless, or vindictive behavior. Are we disaster-ready? The next time could take many lives.