Dozens of firefighters tackle ‘challenging fire’ using a creative strategy to get water
A barn full of hay, cars and farm equipment was destroyed in what proved to be a complex firefighting operation that involved dozens of firefighters from half a dozen fire departments, officials said.
No one was injured in the fire, which was reported about 2:40 p.m. Wednesday, at a farm near the corner of Lampman and Church roads west of Ferndale, said Assistant Chief Ben Boyko of Whatcom County Fire District 7.
“It was a challenging fire that had so many aspects to it,” Boyko told The Bellingham Herald.
Cause of the fire was under investigation and a damage estimate was pending, he said.
As firefighters worked, flames spread from the barn to nearby outbuildings and sparked a wind-driven grass fire, Boyko said.
Firefighters also had to contend with downed power lines and a lack of hydrants in the area.
In all, about 60 firefighters from six Whatcom County fire departments worked to get the flames under control and contain the fire to the barn and adjacent buildings, Boyko said.
To get water for the fire, fire crews used a collapsible storage tank and a half-dozen “tenders” — large fire trucks that carry 1,500 gallons of water or more — in a shuttle operation from hydrants at the Silver Reef Casino, a 3-mile round trip.
After the fire was under control, firefighters used an excavator to pull apart the hay, which continued to smolder.
Firefighters were finished about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, leaving a tender and a crew to make sure the fire didn’t rekindle.
This story was originally published May 11, 2023 at 7:40 PM.
