[1]Smoke observed from a logging road on the North Fork side of the TransAlta Fire. / Courtesy photo by Rhonda Volk
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Smoke spotted from the air drew firefighters yesterday afternoon to a wildfire burning grass, brush and an exposed coal seam on property owned by TransAlta.
It was at the Centralia coal mine’s South Field, according to Riverside Fire Authority Chief Mike Kytta.
The forested unimproved property is protected by the state Department of Natural Resources.
The fire was reported to DNR about 3:30 p.m. and Riverside responding about 4:10 p.m. learned it was already being fought by personnel from Lewis County Fire Districts 6, 5 and 1, along with DNR, from the North Fork Road area, according to the fire chief.
Kytta said upon their arrival with a brush truck, water tender and command unit, they found a DNR helicopter had the fire contained already. They left the mop up work for DNR and mine personnel, he said.
Further details were not yet available from DNR and calls to TransAlta were not returned as of this evening.
DNR reported it turned it back over to the landowner last night.