PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — The unseasonably warm and dry spring has made for summer-like brush fire conditions in Western Washington.
“We’re starting the summer season a little early,” said West Pierce Fire & Rescue Battalion Chief Lance Nelson.
A brush fire near the northbound I-5 onramp quickly spread on the shoulder of the freeway Sunday afternoon. Firefighters called for backup to shut down the overpass and contain the fire from spreading to nearby businesses.
That call was the 39th time Nelson's department has responded to a brush fire in 2023.
By this point in 2022 they had only five brush fire calls. In 2021 there were ten by early June.
There have been no injuries or major property damage to report so far, but Nelson says if conditions remain dry, he'll be worried.
“It’s a little concerning,” said Nelson, who encouraged drivers to keep trash and cigarette butts inside their vehicles.
He recommended drivers make sure they’re not dragging anything behind, like a chain, that might spark a fire.
“This here is primed fuel, ready to go,” said Nelson, pointing at dry grass on the other side of the I-5 onramp that burned.
“This area was still nice and green a couple of weeks ago,” said Nelson.
Nelson said it would be easy to spark and fire under these conditions - and also easy for that fire to spread.
"We start seeing dry grass, dry weather, trees, bushes up next to buildings, next to houses," Nelson said. "Really quickly it goes from something very small to something people think they have control of, to a house fire with (people potentially) inside."