Firefighters responded to and successfully contained a 3.5 acre brush fire near the Mima Acres that threatened nearby structures.
Thanks to an aggressive initial attack and the coordinated efforts of responding agencies, forward progress of the fire was stopped and the incident was declared under control about two hours after it was reported on Tuesday, July 14, according to South Thurston Fire & EMS.
The fire department received a call on its business line reporting smoke in the Mima Acres area at approximately 1:30 p.m. that day.
The caller was instructed to hang up and immediately call 911 so emergency resources could be dispatched, according to a South Thurston Fire & EMS news release.
At approximately 1:34 p.m., South Thurston Fire & EMS units were dispatched to a reported brush fire in the 17300 block of Mima Acres Drive SE.
By 1:37 p.m., the incident was upgraded to a threatening brush fire due to the fire's rapid growth and potential threat to nearby homes, according to the news release.
Chief 41 arrived on scene at 1:41 p.m. and found an estimated two-acre brush fire advancing toward residential structures.
At 1:43 p.m., Chief 41 requested a second alarm and assistance from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, including aerial firefighting resources.
The second alarm brought additional structural fire engines, water tenders, brush trucks, and command staff to protect homes while firefighters worked to contain the fire.
The final acreage of the fire was estimated at 3.5 acres.
After the incident was declared under control at approximately 3:18 p.m., firefighters remained on scene to strengthen containment lines, extinguish hotspots, and begin mop-up operations. No structures were lost, and no civilians or firefighters were injured during the incident.
The response included four chief officers, seven brush trucks, two structural fire engines, five water tenders and 26 fire department personnel from South Thurston Fire & EMS and its mutual aid agencies.
Those agencies were West Thurston Fire, Southeast Thurston Fire, East Olympia Fire District, Lacey Fire District 3 and the McLane Black Lake Fire Department.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources contributed one helicopter, one assistant fire management officer, three overhead positions, one dozer, two-and-a-half ten-person hand crews, two brush trucks and 37 personnel
South Thurston Fire & EMS extended its appreciation Wednesday to its fellow responding agencies “for their rapid response and teamwork.”
Following containment, command of the incident was transferred to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
The Department of Natural Resources will continue to conduct mop-up operations and investigate the cause of the fire.
Any future updates will come from the Washington state Department of Natural Resources.
South Thurston Fire & EMS reminds residents that wildfire danger remains elevated during the summer months.
The public is advised to call 911 immediately if you see smoke or fire, and to avoid activities that could ignite dry vegetation.
