Grass fire caused by cigarette in fire pit
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, July 18, 2023
A grass fire that scorched over a half-acre of grass at a Kingston home was likely sparked by a cigarette discarded in a fire pit, and officials note that the speed of the fire’s spread demonstrates the conditions that led the Kitsap County fire marshal to recently ban nearly all outdoor fires.
North Kitsap Fire & Rescue crews were called to a Barber Cut-Off Road address just before 3 p.m. July 17. The fire was not visible from the road but a neighbor, out walking dogs, happened to see flames and called 911. The first unit arrived in less than five minutes to find the fire’s speed had slowed to a smolder. Firefighters spent another 90 minutes ensuring that no hot spots remain that could otherwise reignite.
An occupant at the property told officials that a lit cigarette was discarded in a fire pit shortly before the incident, and it appears that the fire began in that general area.
Due to increasing fire danger, all outdoor burning is prohibited except for fires in contained barbecue units. As many as 90% of all wildland fires are caused by people, and the public is urged to avoid potential ignition sources.
