Fire slip burns six acres above Highway 93
Photo by Jennifer McBride -- A fire burns through dead grass above a Polson home Tuesday afternoon. The fire blazed near homes on Violet Lane, above Hwy. 93.
By Jennifer McBride / Leader Staff
POLSON — Quick winds Tuesday afternoon sent an out-of-control grass fire shooting toward several houses on Violet Lane, just above Highway 93. Karen Sargeant, information officer for the Polson Fire Department, said the wind shifted "almost continuously" during the burn. Thirteen people and four fire engines (one structure engine, two brush rigs and one water tender), all from PFD, took care of the fire. Despite the blaze searing across approximately six acres, Sargeant said there hasn't been any damage to nearby homes, partly because the property owners called the fire in quickly.
"They did what they should have done, which is call us as soon as possible," she said.
The rising afternoon temperatures and arid weather conditions may have also contributed to the strength of the burn. Despite last week's slight precipitation, the ground is still dry and Sargeant said the firefighters watched fire burn around fallen snow on Sunday. "It's a lot drier than you think," she said.
PFD is one of few departments which will sometimes come in and conduct a burn for local homeowners. In Tuesday's fire, the property owners had called PFD every year for the past four years asking the department to perform the controlled burn, but because of "exposure considerations" — power poles and nearby homes — Sargeant said the department hadn't felt comfortable burning without a full crew and ideal weather conditions, which never seemed to materialize at the same time. The department had to be especially careful due to potential liability, she said.
Sargeant advises property owners planning controlled burns anywhere in the county to call dispatch, not the fire department, beforehand at 883-7301. Check the weather and the wind conditions right before burning. Sometimes the fire department and dispatch can warn you about oncoming storm fronts, which can kick up wind. Fires have to be out before dark, though Sargeant said many homeowners burn in the morning, which may be safer because of the higher humidity. Only burn vegetation, such as brush and grass, and keep a hose or another source of water on scene, she advised.
"We just want you to burn safely," Sargeant said. "Just be careful and pay attention to what's around you."