Washington Department of Natural Resources crews assisted local firefighters during a series of brush fires near Rochester in late April.
Flames climb trees during last month's brush fires near Rochester in this photo provided by the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
A Washington Department of Natural Resources helicopter assisted local firefighters Tuesday.
A brush fire near Rochester that started late Tuesday morning was caused by a train kicking up sparks as it traveled near the area of Old Highway 9 and state Route 12.
Nobody was hurt and no property was destroyed during the blaze, said Capt. Lanette Dyer of West Thurston Regional Fire Authority, which fought the fire along with the Department of Natural Resources.
“We are working with the railway to make sure they are keeping an eye on chains or anything loose that could be dragging that can cause these fires,” said Dyer, who added that while she wasn’t positive at the time what the exact item was on the train that caused the fire, she could confirm that the problem had been remedied.
Crews responded to the area at around 11:20 a.m. Tuesday. They had the situation under control by around 1:30 p.m., Dyer said. Along a 1 and a half-mile area along the roadway, there were six different points where fire had started, she said. The blazes mainly consumed brush, but northern winds pushed fire into a tree line.
Dyer said they descended on the fire quickly, and no homes or structures were in immediate danger. Dyer noted the potential for serious damage was present given fire’s proximity to Rochester High School.
High school students and motorists alike were diverted from the area and detoured away from state Route 12. An email sent at 12:30 p.m. to officials and media from Thurston County Public Works said Old Highway 9 between SR 12 and James Road Southwest had been closed for responding emergency crews.
Washington State Patrol and the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office handled traffic control.
Dyer said Tuesday afternoon that crews would remain on the scene for a while to make sure winds don’t kick a blaze back up again.
South Thurston Fire and EMS, East Olympia Fire, McLane-Black Lake Fire Department and Riverside Fire Authority assisted West Thurston Fire and the DNR on the scene.
Dyer encouraged residents to clear anything that might fuel a fire from their property in an effort to help first responders protect personal property as much as possible. She also encouraged motorists to ensure any chains, or items that might cause sparks, are secure and not sparking a blaze.
