How to fight a brush fire on a steep hillside

Brush fire in the Innis Arden Reserve called in at 6:43pm on Friday, April 23, 2021.
Photo courtesy Shoreline Fire

By Diane Hettrick

So how do you fight a brush fire on a steep, wooded hillside in the Innis Arden Reserve by Puget Sound?

You use the UTV (all terrain vehicle) along the beach south of RB Saltwater Park to get as close as you can - about a mile south of the park.

Then you climb 100 feet up the steep hillside (did we mention how much their gear weighs?)

Then you climb a tree to get up close to the fire, hauling fire hose.

The South County (Snohomish) fire boat comes in to help pump water up to you.

When the fire is out, you stay in your trees to look for and put out hot spots.

No one was hurt. The fire was put out. The cause is under investigation.

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