Halsey Street Grass Fire Doused

photo courtesy Astoria Fire Dept

On October 5, 2012 at 8:34am, Astoria Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a grass fire at the end of Halsey Street in Astoria.  Maintenance personnel at Emerald Heights initially discovered and reported the fire, then used four fire extinguishers to try and extinguish the fire.  Fire personnel arrived on scene to find the fire burning in the wooded area behind the apartment complex.  The fire, estimated initially as approximately 50’ x 20’ in size, was burning in the underbrush and blown down timber.  Fire personnel extended water hose lines into the wooden area to the fire.  Firefighters cleared a perimeter around the fire to keep the fire from spreading to the nearby standing timber.  The fire was brought under control at 9:55am and fire crews mopped up the area to ensure all “hot spots” were extinguished.   The fire was contained to a 60 foot by 35 foot area equivalent to .047 acres.

 

Astoria Fire Department and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) were automatically dispatched to this fire. There were a total of 16 firefighters, 2 fire engines and 3 wildland engines committed to this fire.  Astoria Fire Department off duty personnel and the Warrenton Fire Department provided additional coverage to the City of Astoria. 

 

This fire looks to have spread from a camp fire that may have been started by a homeless person.  Fire personnel found the remains of a burnt tent in the area.  The Astoria Police Department is seeking any information from people in the community that might have seen something or someone in the area leading up to the time of the fire.  Please contact Officer Hansen with the Astoria Police Department at 503-325-4411 with any information. 

 

Astoria Fire Department would like to remind everyone that we are currently in fire season in Clatsop County.  There is no open burning allowed and you can only burn in burn barrels from dawn until 10am with a burn permit.  Burn permits can be obtained through the Oregon Department of Forestry, rural fire protection districts or the local city fire department, depending on your residential location.  For more information you can contact Astoria Fire Department at 503-325-2345.