News brief: Small wildfires spring up in north Lewis County

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Centralia’s firefighters battled two brush fires yesterday, the first on land in the far northwest corner of the county and the second along railroad tracks off Reynolds Avenue.

Crews were called just after 11 a.m. to a wildfire in the area of Garrard Creek Road and Coyote Crest, where they found about a half acre burning, consisting of grasses, berry vines and scrub alder trees, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

No homes were threatened, according to Fire Chief Mike Kytta.

They were joined by members of Grays Harbor County Fire District 1 and kept the flames from spreading, according to Kytta. The scene was turned over to personnel from the state Department of Natural Resources for mop up and investigation.

Just after 4 p.m., a fire broke out along the railroad tracks at the 1600 block of Reynolds Road, at the intersection with Blakeslee Junction, according to Firefighter Chris Layton.

They were assisted by the Chehalis Fire Department, Lewis County Fire District 6 and DNR.

The rail line was shut down for several hours while crews extinguished the flames, which covered an area approximately 600 feet long and 40 feet wide, according to Layton.

Just yesterday, the National Weather Service issued warnings that the combination of high temperatures, dry fuels and breezy weather is conducive to serious wildfire danger into the weekend.

This morning’s message from the weather services states that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur starting late tonight, and advise the public to monitor forecasts for possible red flag warnings.

Tomorrow’s high in Chehalis is forecast at 98 degrees. Randle residents can expect temperatures of 93 degrees today and 89 degrees tomorrow.

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