GRAND MOUND, Wash. - Authorities say a brush fire south of Olympia in the Grand Mound area burned a half a dozen structures and a business before the fire was contained and evacuation orders lifted Wednesday morning.
Thurston County Emergency Management officials said the fire, which started near 183rd Avenue Southwest between Guava Street and Case Road started and grew quickly near Interstate 5 Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities ordered people in about 100 homes around Sargent Road Southwest were told to evacuate immediately while the fire moved southeast.
“I heard people use the words apocalyptic,” West Thurston Regional Fire Authority Captain Lanette Dyer said about the flames. “The fire jumped six lanes which is a huge deal when you think of how wide that is, it picked it up and to the other side and into the commercial area.”
The Thurston County Sheriff said on Twitter just after 10 p.m. that the fire had been contained and that people could return to their homes.
Getting our first look at a few of the homes burned in Tuesday's fire in Thurston County. Four homes, two barns, and a business destroyed. pic.twitter.com/9nJ7Q5WTdt
— Alex Rozier (@AlexRozierK5) August 23, 2017
As of Wednesday morning, officials say four homes, one business and two barns were lost. No injuries were reported.
Officials say the fire burned less than a square mile.
No injuries were reported.
A reunification site was set up at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 18501 Paulson Street Southwest, Rochester.
What's left of JAGS Top Soil. The business burned in the Rochester Brush Fire after an ember flew across I-5 @KING5Seattle pic.twitter.com/OFPlUSmwIx
— LiLi Tan (@lilitan) August 23, 2017
Tony and his dog Diego were told to leave their Rochester home bc of wildfire and explosion risks. pic.twitter.com/L1zkSLe8Vz
— Drew Mikkelsen (@drewmikkelsenk5) August 23, 2017
The Rochester Soup Kitchen at 18214 Corvallis Street Southwest is open from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Wednesday.
For information and questions about evacuations, contact the Emergency Coordination Center at 360-867-2800.
