A Wenatchee man admitted to causing a fire near Rock Island last night that burned about 150 acres after throwing a sleeping bag into a small fire, according to Douglas County Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal.
Gjesdal said 61-year-old Timothy Burt had been living about a mile up Rock Island Grade off of Highway 28 near milepost 12. While preparing to leave the site, Burt set fire to a plastic bag filled with scraps of paper, which grew out control when he added a sleeping bag.
Deputies responded to the fire after RiverCom dispatch received the call at 9:15 p.m. When deputies arrived, they found Burt standing outside a white Dodge Caravan below the fire. It was then that Burt admitted to starting the fire, Gjesdal said.
The case information was given to the Douglas County Prosecutor, who will determine whether to press charges.
No structures were damaged and no one was harmed.
Firefighters have the blaze under control, although the containment level hasn’t been reported, according to Jim Duck, operations coordinator with Central Washington Interagency Communications Center.
“It’s not really growing on ‘em at this point,” Duck said. Adding “They have it in pretty good shape.”
Two crews, four engines and six miscellaneous personnel from Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Department of Natural Resources and Douglas County Fire District 2 are at the fire.