Tuesday’s brush fires under investigation

Crews Wednesday continued to do mop-up at the scene of a wildfire that broke out Tuesday southeast of Brush Prairie.

Janet Pearce, spokeswoman for the state Department of Natural Resources, said Wednesday that there was still visible smoke and a hot center from the several-acre fire, but that crews were confident they would keep the fire from re-sparking.

The fire, which was first reported Tuesday afternoon, burned vegetation along Salmon Creek off of Northeast 82nd Avenue, between Northeast 139th and Northeast 159th streets. No structures were damaged.

Fire investigators with DNR have not determined a cause of the fire yet, but are continuing their investigation, Pearce said.

A different fire Tuesday that occurred in Vancouver’s Marrion neighborhood caused an estimated $30,000 in damage, according to fire investigators.

The fire started in the dry vegetation of a vacant lot at the end of a cul-de-sac on Northeast 12th Way near Northeast 108th Street, Vancouver Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli said.

The fire spread rapidly, burning a 15-by-15 foot shed at 1122 N.E. 108th Ave., and an electrical transformer, Scarpelli said. The fire also came close to involving two residences.

“Crews made a great save,” she said.

About 1 acre of vegetation, including arborvitae between two homes, also burned. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.