A brush fire raced along the hills and ridge boxed in by three roads southeast of Mossyrock on Tuesday — leaving behind an estimated 100 to 120 acres of charred earth.
Residents of homes along Ajlune and Bear Ridge roads were voluntarily evacuated and livestock was removed from barns or herded to safety. Chief Doug Fosburg with Lewis County Fire District 3 said the fire was unintentionally set by a resident who was burning some brush.
It started on Bear Ridge Road, near the Swofford Road intersection. “It went from there like gangbusters with that east wind,” said Fosburg.
Heidi Smith, safety officer with Lewis County Fire District 3, was on-scene Tuesday as her crew was still scouring a hillside just off Ajlune Road, putting out hot spots uncomfortably close to houses.