Discarded ashes from a wood stove cause of fire on Greenwood Heights Drive yesterday

On March 13, 2022, at 8:36 P.M., Humboldt Bay Fire responded to a reported structure fire on the 2900 Block of Greenwood Heights Drive. 

Initially, four engines and a duty officer were dispatched to the incident. Due to the rural location of the incident and the area not having hydrants, two water tenders were added to the response. 

The first arriving engine found a fully involved detached utility building and attached wood shed, with fire impinging on the nearby residence and spreading to the wildland.  

The engine had prepared for a rural water pumping operation by leaving a supply line at the driveway and laying several hundred feet of supply hose in to the scene. The engine company then began attacking the fire. 

The next arriving units supplied water to the rural pumping operation while additional personnel searched the residence and ensured the occupants and animals were out and accounted for.    

Fire crews had the structure fire controlled in about 20 minutes. Gasoline containers that had recently been filled repeatedly re-ignited. Fire crews ultimately controlled the gasoline fire with dry chemical extinguishers. While personnel were fighting the structure fire, personnel from other units attacked the vegetation fire and contained it within an hour.  

The two water tenders that were added maintained a continuous supply of water to the incident. The tenders were able to successfully access rural water tanks installed by nearby residents and utilize those tanks as water sources to extinguish the fire.   

No firefighters or civilians were injured in the incident. The cause of the fire was accidental and determined to be discarded ashes from a wood stove that were too close to the exterior of the utility building. Damage was estimated to be approximately $15,000. 

Humboldt Bay Fire would like to thank the Kneeland Fire District for the response of their tender to aid in the continuous water supply needed to extinguish the fire. 

Humboldt Bay Fire would also like to remind the public to dispose of completely cooled ashes in a covered metal ash can outside at least ten feet away from buildings and combustibles on a non-combustible surface, such as concrete or rock.