Firefighters were dispatched to Lake Ballinger’s Edmount Island early Sunday morning to tackle a brush fire that had sparked in the vicinity. Crews from South County Fire worked swiftly to contain the 25x25-foot blaze, which produced a visible plume of smoke over the area, as reported by KIRO 7.
In a race against time and nature, firefighters mounted an aggressive response, deploying two boats and a floating water pump to supply hose lines. They also brought into play hand tools to carefully cut through vegetation, crafting a fire barrier that would help to significantly contain the flames. According to information gathered from FOX 13 Seattle, this prompt and resourceful strategy ensured the blaze was extinguished within a few hours—earlier than anticipated.
Mountlake Terrace police assisted in the efforts by deploying a drone to oversee the operation from above, adding a layer of technological aid to the hands-on approach of the responders. As conveyed by My Edmonds News, the fire was put out by mid-morning, and all units had cleared the scene not long after.
Incredibly, no injuries were reported amidst the urgent firefighting efforts, a relief to the community and the emergency personnel involved. While the cause of Sunday's fire is yet unknown, history reminds us of the 2009 incident sparked by an illegal barbecue that had the firefighters challenge a stubborn peat bog fire on the island. The 2009 fire demanded helicopter air drops and hoses powered by floating pumps and lasted several days before its containment. Following the 2009 incident, Edmount Island had been closed to public access to prevent such occurrences. "We’re thankful no one was hurt," Fire Official Veley was quoted in a statement obtained by My Edmonds News.
