JOYCE – Crews spent a couple of hours putting out a wildfire burning west of Port Angeles last night.
The fire was reported at about 5:30 pm from someone who saw smoke rising from a forested area off the Joyce-Piedmont access road North of Highway 101 West near Lake Sutherland.
Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue responded with fifteen firefighters staffing three engines, two water tenders and three command vehicles and received assistance from Joyce Fire District Four.
Chief Sam Phillips says the fire was burning through timber, grass and brush in a former logging site about 1.5 miles up the Joyce Access Road. The fire was on Department of Natural Resources lands and was being fanned by erratic winds.
Firefighters were able to gain access via an old logging road the traversed the steep incline to stop the fire using hand tools, chainsaws and a 1000 foot long hose lay.
Phillips says the fire is a reminder that the forested areas are dry and people should be careful especially with flammable materials.