Firefighters doused a bark dust fire that spread Friday afternoon to a house in northeast Hazel Dell.
The fire apparently started in the bark dust underneath a play structure near the back of the house at 8704 N.E. 23rd Court, according to Sarah Mitchelson, Fire District 6 spokeswoman. The fire, reported at 1:41 p.m., moved along the dry grass in the backyard and caught the backside of the house on fire.
No one was home when the fire started, Mitchelson said. District 6 and Vancouver firefighters quickly extinguished the flames, preventing serious damage to the inside of the house. The play structure was destroyed, and decks on the first and second floors were damaged, along with outside paneling. There was minimal damage inside the house, Mitchelson said.
Traffic in the area was disrupted while firefighters were at the property. According to Clark County property records, the home is owned by Yuriy and Mariya Surma.
The Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.