Officials concerned about fire danger with ongoing dry weather

The ongoing dry weather has local fire officials concerned about the extreme fire danger.

Eastside Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Dave McDaniel says this is when the season starts to ramp up in the area.

Last Friday, he says crews responded to a fire in North Bend. It’s where it burned that has McDaniel fearing the worst this season.

“It really shows - in an area we traditionally would not see a fire actually be able to start and burn - it actually burned half an acre,” McDaniel explained. “So that tells you the areas we normally see, the freeway, the urban interface, areas like that where fuels are really dried up are really at extreme danger for fire.”

It's unknown what caused the fire in North Bend. But there was a home just a few hundred feet away.

“We're seeing an ever increasing concern in the urban interface with houses built into woods and fuel being as dry as they are, that’s problem our biggest concern,” McDaniel said.

With extreme fire danger expected to last through September. McDaniel says it's not too late to take precautions.

“If you've got a wood pile, move it away from house. If you're in a treed area, limb your trees up, clear any brush,” McDaniels advised “No one thinks a fire will burn your house until it actually happens. Just use safety and caution. That’s the best thing the public can do.”

Cox Media Group