Crews battle fires in Birch Bay

At least five brush fires enveloped property to the sides of Blaine and Bay roads on July 20.

North Whatcom Fire and Rescue (NWFR) chief William Pernett said it took about an hour for crews from NWFR and Whatcom County Fire District 7 to put out the fast-growing fires, which were reported around 1:45 p.m. on Friday.

“There was one structure threatened but no damage to any structures or vehicles,” he said.

Mitch Nolze, fire inspector with the Whatcom County fire marshal’s office, said the fires were caused by a muffler, which mechanically failed on an RV that was driving through the area.

The Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office issued restrictions on open burning for unincorporated Whatcom County on July 13. Land clearing and yard debris burning is prohibited and issued burn permits are suspended, according to the fire marshal’s office.

“It is dry out and it does not take much to ignite dry grasses,” Pernett said. “We urge everyone to use caution and follow the county fire marshal’s rules on outside fires.”