Key facts
- Cause
- 8-year-old playing with lighter and fireworks
- Location
- End of North Evergreen Street, North Whidbey
- Injuries
- One man injured hand pulling propane tank
- Damage
- Extensive smoke damage; fire spread to attic
- Response
- Navy Fire and Mount Erie firefighters assisted
- Context
- County burn ban includes fireworks, effective Wednesday
Background
A North Whidbey family was displaced and one resident injured in a weekend house fire that firefighters say was caused by an 8-year-old playing with a lighter and fireworks, according to Battalion Chief Ian Walton of the fire department.
The fire occurred at a home at the end of North Evergreen Street. Firefighters were initially dispatched to a fire with 'possible explosions,' Walton said. The fire started outside, spread up the side of the home and into the attic.
A neighbor extinguished much of the fire with a hose before firefighters arrived. One man injured his hand while pulling a propane tank away from the home. Firefighters found a spent mortar and other fireworks on a plastic table on the deck.
Current situation
Walton said the child did not admit to starting the fire but quickly identified where lighters were kept in the home. 'It was fairly obvious,' he added, speaking to the fire's apparent origin.
While the home did not sustain extensive physical damage, Walton called the smoke damage 'extensive.' Navy Fire and Mount Erie firefighters also responded to the scene.
There are very few hydrants in unincorporated North Whidbey, Walton explained, and mutual aid can help transport water to the scenes of fires. 'It makes it very difficult for positioning apparatus and thinking outside the box for water supply operations,' he added.
Impacts
The fire is the latest in a series of fireworks-related incidents on Whidbey this summer. Over the Fourth of July weekend, fireworks were suspected of causing several vegetation fires, a fire on a boat and a fire in the remains of a historic building. In June, 700 pounds of fireworks exploded in a Greenbank home.
Reduced fuel moisture levels, low humidity and warmer temperatures have created an 'extreme' risk of outdoor fires, according to a release from the county fire marshal announcing an upgraded county burn ban that took effect Wednesday morning. That ban includes the use and discharge of fireworks.
'While local conditions are not as dry as other parts of the state, local firefighting resources are increasingly being dispatched to assist with fires elsewhere in the state, reducing our local firefighting resources,' the release adds. Roughly 900 firefighters have responded to devastating wildfires in Spokane alone, the Seattle Times reported earlier this week.
Future outlook
Scenario analysis: The possibilities below are not certain predictions.
The county burn ban, which includes fireworks, took effect Wednesday morning and may reduce the risk of further fireworks-related fires if residents comply.
If dry conditions persist and firefighting resources remain stretched due to out-of-area deployments, the risk of additional outdoor fires could remain elevated, officials suggest.
The family displaced by the fire may face a period of uncertainty while the home is assessed for smoke damage and repairs, though specific timelines remain unclear.
Source: southwhidbeyrecord.com
