Brush fire burns acre in Pullman
Blame beekeepers, fire marshal says
About an acre along Davis Way in Pullman was burned Monday afternoon, but authorities weren’t expecting honey bees to be behind the blaze.
Pullman firefighters were called to a small brush fire on Washington State Route 270, across from the Hilltop Inn around 3 p.m. Monday. The blaze spread to the Pullman welcome sign next to the Washington State Department of Transportation agency.
Fire Marshal Darren Jones said city firefighters, as well as volunteers from the Whitman County Fire District 12, extinguished the fire quickly. The highway was closed while firefighters worked on the blaze, and was opened shortly after it was put out.
The cause of the fire was determined to be related to honey bees, Jones said.
Beekeepers were using smoke pots to soothe the bees, and an ember was spat out into dry, tall grass. Strong winds picked up the flames, which grew into a small blaze.
Jones said no persons — and no bees — were hurt during the fire. He added the beekeepers and hives were on the other side of the blaze, and were not injured.
The only damages, other than the dry vegetation, were electrical equipment inside the Pullman welcome sign, Jones said.
