While the number of fireworks-related fires and injuries this Fourth of July weekend seemed relatively lower than last year, fireworks are the suspected cause of a Yacolt house fire that injured a firefighter, and in another incident over the holiday weekend, a firework injured a man’s hand.
Clark County Fire Marshal Jon Dunaway said the injured firefighter, who was responding to a fire Monday night near Yacolt, was inside the home when part of the ceiling collapsed as firefighters worked. The collapse briefly separated the firefighter from the others, but he was able to make it out, Dunaway said.
The firefighter was taken to a hospital, but Dunaway didn’t know the extend of the firefighter’s injuries.
Another man severely injured his hand when he held a lit firework instead of putting it on the ground, Dunaway said.
In Hazel Dell, fire damaged a dental office when a firework ignited some nearby bushes under the building’s eaves, and there were multiple bark dust and brush fires over the weekend, but Dunaway said the county had yet to make its final tally on fireworks-related fire calls, injuries and citations.
“My impression, at least on July 4, when it came time to shut them down, folks were really good based on my observations,” he said.
The county still needs to do more outreach and education regarding the rules in unincorporated Clark County — namely the change in regulations north and south of 219th Street, he said — but things were overall more tame, no small thanks to the weather.
“I think we had a better season than we could have, if it had been as dry as last year,” he said. “The cooler weather and the rain just before fireworks went on sale was a welcome change from last year.”
Joe Beaudoin of Joe’s Place Farms said he found fireworks refuse near one of his outbuildings, which burned down early Sunday morning.
The fire department responded to his east Vancouver business around 1:30 a.m. Sunday to find a $2,000, custom-made outhouse near one of his fields on fire, he said.
Beaudoin said Tuesday afternoon he hadn’t heard from the fire investigator assigned to his case, but he found fireworks refuse outside of the structure. He’s unsure how anyone could have started a fire in the building, which was there for his employees and had a washing station and drinking fountain.
“Everything inside was basically plastic and fiberglass, so whatever they did in there, they had to get it really hot,” he said.
Lead Deputy Vancouver Fire Marshal Chad Lawry said the numbers of fires over the June 28 to July 5 period this year, about 37, is down dramatically from the hundreds of fires responded to last year.
“It was just horrible last year,” he said, noting the dry weather, high heat and wind.
Beyond a few incidents of fireworks-related vandalism and vegetation fires, he said he didn’t think there were any major fireworks-related structure fires in the city.
Save local limits, June 28 to July 5 is the period when state law allows for fireworks use and sale around Independence Day.
Lawry said the Vancouver Fire Marshal’s Office wrote 48 citations during that time as of Tuesday afternoon. That’s up from 46 last year, he said, adding he expected a few more because fire officials would be out Tuesday night to talk to violators.
Still, he said, people’s behavior seemed to have improved from last year, contributing to the relatively lower number of fires.
The department put more time into outreach and education this year, he said, but the city will need to do a lot more ahead of next year, when personal fireworks sales and use will be completely banned.
“It’s a lot simpler in terms of enforcement,” he said. “I think there’s still going to be a learning curve.”
Lawry and Dunaway said officials would be out talking to fireworks violators Tuesday night, but would switch back to responding on a per-complaint basis afterwards.
Lincoln fire
On Tuesday afternoon, what was initially thought to be a fireworks fire kicked up along Olive Street in the Lincoln neighborhood and briefly threatened homes nearby, but firefighters were able to knock it down.
The fire burned in brush and blackberries on the hillside along the street starting at about 4:30 p.m. Vancouver Fire Department Battalion Chief Chris Lines said the fire produced ample smoke for the several homes at the top of the hill.
Lines said the fire burned in multiple spots along the base of the hillside, along the length of the roadway. A resident up top had a garden hose at the ready, he said, but firefighters were able to calm the blaze.
“We got out right away and knocked it down,” he said.
Firefighters from the city and Fire District 6 responded, as did a crew from the state Department of Natural Resources.
The call was dispatched with the suspicion fireworks were involved. Lines said around 6 p.m. that fire marshals were investigating, but there was no firm indication of a cause.
“Somebody heard a boom,” he said, but it could have easily been automobile noise or a boom from the rail cars just west of the fire.
Fireworks debris were visible in the cul-de-sac at the end of Olive Street, but they could have been from Monday night’s festivities.
