As expected, the Fourth of July holiday weekend was filled with accidental fires in south Pierce County GÇô where, like everywhere else regionally and statewide, hot and dry conditions created a high fire risk. Some of the blazes came from somewhat unexpected causes. A pickup truck that apparently caught fire on July 3 touched off a small roadside brush fire that also scorched a utility pole near Eatonville at the intersection of Scott Turner Road and Alder Cutoff Road. The dual blazes were doused by South Pierce Fire and Rescue. There were no reports of injuries, but the truck appeared to be heavily damaged. On July 4 alone, Graham Fire and Rescue put the unofficial tally of holiday incidents at 41. They included eight calls for emergency medical aid, four grass fires and 17 brush fires. The majority of the incidents occurred between 9 p.m. and after midnight, officials said. The potential for wildfires is expected to remain high the rest of the summer. On July 4, South Pierce Fire "did not experience the large number of brush fire responses the rest of the county experienced," said chief Bob Vellias. Of the 14 incidents handled that day by the agency, two were "insignificant brush fires" that were out before firefighters arrived, he said. Vellias praised the public's "good common sense" for helping hold down the number of fires, but he cautioned that citizens must remain vigilant. "The current conditions in our area have the potential for catastrophic loss to property and structures," he said. "The best advice until we receive a significant amount of rainfall is to curb any and all burning, including campfires and burn pits." Weather forecasts call for continued hot, dry weather this week and longer.
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