Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Firefighters Battle Train-Sparked Brush Fires near Grand Mound (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

(GRAND MOUND, WA) -- West Thurston Regional Fire and the Department of Natural Resources battled a series of brush fires in the vicinity of Old Highway 9 and James Road near Grand Mound starting late Tuesday morning.

According to West Thurston Fire, the fires are believed to have been caused by a train kicking up sparks. Authorities say breezy north winds pushed fires away from the railroad tracks and into area tree lines.

A DNR helicopter responded with several water drops aiding multiple ground crews from local fire agencies in gaining the upper hand on the fires. No injuries were reported. Several roads in the area were closed while crews fought the fires.