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Monday, May 20, 2013 | 8:35 a.m.

Posted: 8:40 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012

Fire danger remains a threat in Western Washington

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Crews contain small brush fire in Magnolia.
Crews contain small brush fire in Magnolia.

After a statewide burn ban was issued Friday, there are now worries of fires starting in the Puget Sound region.

 

The burn ban, effective through Tuesday, includes all outdoor and agricultural burning in Eastern Washington, which include campfires and bonfires.

 

As an unusual streak without rain continues in Western Washington, drier conditions of grass and brush along freeways could spark fires.

 

According to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, fire danger is high in every county surrounding the Puget Sound.

 

The Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands, Peter Goldmark, has advised people to be extra careful.

 

With the burn ban, campgrounds may have additional restrictions, and KIRO 7 Eyewitness News spoke with a camper, Pete Schwab, about the fire dangers.

 

“I’m sure it is a high risk, even over here. I mean we didn’t break a 51-day record, right? Because we had two-hundredths of an inch of rain? So what is it at now? 53, 54 days,” said Schwab.

 

Crews spent Friday night hosing down a small brush fire at 28th and West Smith in Magnolia.

 

On Thursday, firefighters battled two brush fires near Highway 3 in Bremerton, and investigators believe the fires may have started from sparks from a car or truck, or possibly a hot piece of metal may have broken off of a vehicle.

 

The outdoor burn ban has expanded in Kitsap County.

 

KIRO 7 learned that Weyerhaeuser has now closed public access to its Washington and Oregon Timberlands. 

 

To check out fire danger levels by county click here: www.fortress.wa.gov/dnr/firedanger/BurnRisk.aspx

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