Wildland strike team called in to fight fire burning hills south of Kennewick

KENNEWICK — A wildland fire strike team was called in Sunday afternoon to tackle a fire burning in the hills south of Kennewick off Highway 395.

The blaze burned 100 acres and sent plumes of black and gray smoke billowing across the sky in the area of Highway 397 and Owens Road.

About 20 fire units battled the fire that started just before 2 p.m., according to initial dispatching information on the PulsePoint 911 app.

Fire District 1 was helped by crews from Benton County Fire District 4, District 6 and District 2, Kennewick, Richland and Pasco, along with our support services volunteers, said Benton County Fire District 1 officials on Facebook. Benton County did not say how many units were involved.

The fire blackened acres of brush near wheat fields and near some of the wind turbines in the area.

No buildings were lost or threatened and no one was hurt. The cause is under investigation, said the fire district.

Owens Road was closed for a while and drivers were being asked to stay out of the area.