MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — Investigators are working to determine what sparked three fires in Mount Vernon on the same day.
“Based on current information, there is a high likelihood that the fires were human-caused; however, it is not known at this time whether they were accidental or intentionally set,” the fire department told KIRO 7 News.
The first fire happened just before 11 a.m. behind 2015 Freeway Drive. It burned about one acre of grass and weeds.
The second fire happened just before 7 p.m. at 420 Milwaukee St. The fire took place in a vacant lot that was enclosed by a chain-link fence. Similar to the morning incident, the lot was filled with dry grass and weeds.
The third fire was reported at 10:22 p.m. at the intersection of South Laventure Road and East Division Street. This incident involved a 4-by-4-foot section of hedges that caught fire. No other property damage was reported at the scene.
A temporary outdoor burn ban has been in effect since Aug. 1 following an emergency declaration by the governor. Fire officials noted that dry vegetation remains highly susceptible to ignition from small heat sources, such as sparks or discarded cigarette butts.