Lind area home narrowly escapes rangeland fire

A range fire ripped across the countryside on Saturday, burning about 1,500 acres after it started near the intersection of Lind-Hatton and Providence Roads.

Adams County Fire Protection District No. 2 (Lind) sent its entire fleet of nine vehicles to the fire, including the rescue rig that was used as the command center.

Warden sent four trucks while Ritzville crews responded with a brush truck and a tanker.

Firefighters from Lind, Warden and Ritzville battled the fire that was apparently started at 2 p.m. by a train along Providence Road.

They stopped the fire as flames lapped at the edge of the Virgil and Karen Derrick home, located at the end of Presnel Road.

According to Lind Chief Don Klemmer, this is the second time the structure has been threatened by fire.

A Lind fire truck and crew were able to reach the home in time, despite blowing a front tire on the truck while in route. Curt Franz said the crew was still able to battle the blaze because it was a four-wheel drive truck.

Virgil Derrick said the fire destroyed the family’s goat pen. Derrick said the yard was filled with their animals, including goats, miniature donkeys, guinea hens, ducks and chickens. All of the animals were unharmed.

According to Derrick, he attempted to stop the fire from reaching the house by using a small lawn tractor. He eventually had to abandon that effort and flee as the fire intensified.

The fire did burn down an old mobile home that Derrick was working to dismantle in an effort to cash in on the scrap value.

Several old cars parked behind the house were damaged by smoke and flames. Firefighters had to open up one of the cars and hose it out to knock down a fire inside it.

A local farmer lent assistance on a tractor and plowed a fireguard around a wheat field, ultimately keeping the amount of wheat acreage burned at zero.