Multiple brush fires signal start to wildfire season

Brush fire blackens up to 10 acres along Ivan Morse Road in Manson, May 30.

Three brush fires were sparked in Manson Saturday afternoon. A reminder that grass, brush and forest undergrowth are dry and fire season has arrived.

The largest of the three fires was on Ivan Morse Road where a fire got out of control.

"The winds picked up and the fire moved quickly and threatened some structures," Manson Deputy Fire Chief Mile Williams said. "It ignited an out building on the parcel," scarring an estimated 7-10 acres.

Another small brush fire was reported along the same road. A third fire was called in near the 12 Tribes Lake Chelan Casino.

Conditions for fire are drier than they appear.

"It's definitely drier in certain spots," said Williams. "As long as you have kept up with your irrigation and watered your yard, grass is drying out. What contributes to that are the heavy winds (which) will dry out the fuels quite quickly."

"We're rolling out Fire Aside which allows our folks to go out and do a home evaluation of what homeowners can do to protect their homes," Williams suggested. "The defensible space around their house, the immediate zone right next to their house which is about five-feet out, then there's 6-30 feet and then up to 100 feet after that, and there's different things that you can do in those zones to prevent fire from coming into your property."

"The prediction is, all of the (meteorology) modeling showing the same kind of conditions as 2015 when we had the major fires," The chief mentioned. "Those conditions are going to be present this summer."

"I've been in the fire service for 32 years and I've been through many potential bad fire seasons," recalled Williams. "It all depends on pretty much luck (that) we don't get any lightening strikes, people behave themselves and don't start fires. If we luck out and don't get those things we may escape any major damage in the area."

The annual ban on the outdoor burning of brush began Monday for the lower elevations of unincorporated Chelan County.

• If you have a propane grill or fire pit, you can use it year-round.

• The burn ban applies to the Mountain Zone, or higher elevations, on July 1, unless the Chelan County fire marshal recommends an earlier start.

• The use of charcoal BBQ's, and Recreational fires in unincorporated Chelan County are banned beginning July 1.

• Fireworks are banned year-round in unincorporated Chelan County – except on New Year’s Eve.

The regulations apply to unincorporated Chelan County.

If you live in the city limits, check with your local city government on similar regulations.