Campfire suspected culprit in Wednesday’s brush fire near Clayton Beach
A fire that is suspected to have started with a campfire Wednesday evening near Clayton Beach in Larrabee State Park should serve as a reminder that conditions are getting drier and the potential for starting wildfires in Whatcom County is increasing as we move deeper into to the summer heat.
Fire crews from South Whatcom Fire Authority and Skagit County Fire District 5 were dispatched to a small brush fire along a beach north of Clayton Beach shortly before dusk July 22, South Whatcom Fire Chief Rod Topel told The Bellingham Herald.
Skagit fire crews were the first to arrive, Topel said, and found a fire covering brush in an area about 200 feet in diameter along the shoreline. The fire was keeping to the brush along the ground and had not spread into the canopy of the trees above.
Crews radioed for Bellingham Fire Department’s Marine 6 boat, also known as the Salish Star, to come and extinguish the flames from the water, and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources was called in to mop up the fire.
“Teamwork makes the dream work!” Bellingham Fire posted to Facebook.
Topel said the fire is believed to have been started by a small campfire that was inappropriately started along the beach.
“It’s a good reminder to people that our humidity level is dropping and when we get those southerly winds on the western-facing beaches in our area, things can get pretty dry and dangerous for fires,” Topel said.
