In a scenario more common around Labor Day than Memorial Day, Vancouver and Fire District 6 firefighters spent Thursday afternoon fighting two grass fires along Interstate 5.
“If this afternoon’s hectic pace is any indication, it’s going to be a long, hot summer for firefighters,” said David Schmitke, a District 6 spokesman.
Meteorologists are expecting May could break the record for Vancouver’s driest month ever recorded. June also is expected to be warmer and drier than normal.
Thursday’s fires were reported shortly after 3 p.m., adjacent to the northbound lanes of the freeway at the foot of Hazel Dell.
The flames moved up the hill on the east side of the freeway, near the railroad tracks, before they were extinguished by a total 20 firefighters from the two departments.
As they worked, firefighters were challenged by the steep hillside and surprisingly dry brush and grass, Schmitke said. They managed to stop the fire before it reached a grove of fir trees.
No structural damage was reported, but some inhabitants had to leave a homeless camp in the area due to heavy smoke.
Fire apparatus was parked on the shoulder of the freeway, closing it temporarily.
A county fire marshal was summoned to investigate the cause of the fires.
