A Bellingham firefighter and well-known community member was killed in an off-duty accident Monday evening. Bellingham Fire Chief Bill Hewitt says Brian Cain died in a tractor accident on his property on Goshen Road.
Brian served as a fire fighter for the past 19 years after working for the Bellingham Public Works Department for 12 years.
He has also been a volunteer for Fire Districts 1 and 14 and has been an active member of the east county community. He and his wife Stacy have two children, Chad and Olivia, and have been looking forward to welcoming their first grandchild into the family.
Chief Hewitt says “this sudden, tragic loss has struck the members of our department deeply.”
KGMI-AM 790
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Despite the rainy, cloudy weather, Washington is in the middle of wildfire season. This year, projections show Washington and Oregon have the worst wildfire risks in the nation.
We have already had more than 300 wildfires in our state. The state is dealing with a $9 billion budget shortfall because of COVID-19, but the Department of Natural Resources says it is prepared to take on a regular fire season.
But if it's a more severe wildfire season, Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz says wildfire-fighting costs could surpass the fire suppression budget, forcing the state to tap into its emergency rainy day fund.
Franz says that money should be allocated elsewhere and we should all do our part to make that happen.
“Ideally, our goal is to keep our fires small to make sure they don’t happen in the first place," she says.
KCPQ-TV FOX 13 Seattle
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Spokane Valley Fire Department members are "wagging their tails happily" so to speak after crews successfully rescued a puppy after it unintentionally became locked in a car on Tuesday.
According to SVFD, firefighters responded after a woman stated she left her keys in her car and her puppy stepped on the door lock, locking the woman out of the vehicle.
SVFD obtained a lockout waiver, gained entry to the vehicle, and got the puppy out safely.
Crews called it the "best call, rescuing a very grateful happy puppy."
The owner shared some pictures with SVFD of the rescue process on the department's Facebook post.
"The golden retriever puppy was evaluated with numerous hugs and kisses and found to need no further medical assistance," SVFD said.
KHQ-TV NBC 6 Spokane
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With parades, festivals and firework displays cancelled, there’s a boom in business for firework stands catering to those who plan to light their own fireworks at home.
In unincorporated Clark County, it’s legal to set off fireworks and Hazel Dell fireworks stands told FOX 12 they’ve been slammed with business.
“We’ve had a lot more people coming through, good foot traffic,” said Bryant Raeburn with Bomber Brothers Fireworks. “It’s exciting and it feels good because I feel like we are bringing a little happiness to the people who are coming and purchasing.”
Sione Taumoeanga came to the firework stand to buy fireworks for his kids. Taumoeanga said his family usually goes to the fireworks show at Fort Vancouver.
“They’re pretty bummed about it being cancelled, but I’m doing my best to make up for it,” Taumoeanga said.
But all the fun could come with another price: the threat of firework-related fires and accidents.
KPTV FOX 12 Portland
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Authorities said two people were rescued by nearby kayakers Wednesday night after a seaplane crashed in Lake Washington.
The Seattle Fire Department said firefighters were called to about 200 feet from shore near the 300 block of Lakeside Avenue South for a seaplane crash.
One person was standing on top of the plane, authorities said. All of the people inside made it out safely with the help of nearby boats. Emergency crews are evaluating the occupants inside the plane, but police reported minor injuries.
Alex Flaco said he was on his sailboat coming back to the marina Wednesday night when he heard the seaplane crash. He said he was going to jump in and help but two kayakers came and pulled the pair of people out of the plane.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Firefighters from East Jefferson Fire Rescue helped knock down a house fire on the eastern shore of Sequim Bay early Wednesday morning.
The fire was reported just after midnight, at 12:12 a.m. July 1, according to Clallam County Fire District 3.
No one was hurt in the fire, which reportedly caused $1.2 million in damages to the shorefront home and its contents.
The first-in crew came from Fire Station 37 in Blyn, and firefighters saw flames coming from the roof of the three-story house when they arrived.
Emergency responders soon discovered the blaze had spread through every level of the 4,000-square-foot waterfront home, including the roof.
No one was injured in the fire, which happened in the 2200 block of East Sequim Bay Road.
The home was occupied at the time of the fire, and the occupants, described as an elderly couple, told a neighbor they had smoke in their house.
Fire District 3 officials praised the neighbor for getting the couple to safety and calling 911.
Port Townsend Leader
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