PORT ANGELES — A training burn at a rural barn is scheduled on Baker Farm Road south of Port Angeles today (Sunday).
Firefighters plan to arrive at 9 a.m. after a safety briefing. The barn will begin burning at about 9:30 a.m., and the fire is expected to be extinguished by about 1 p.m., said Sam Phillips, chief of Clallam County Fire District No. 2.
Twenty-two firefighters from Clallam Fire District Nos. 2 and 3 and the Port Angeles Fire Department will participate, Phillips said.
The property is owned by Joe and Serena Cialoa, who plan to build a home on the property once their barn is removed, the fire chief added.
The training burn is in anticipation of what could be one of most dangerous wildfire seasons in recent history on the Olympic Peninsula.
“Fire officials plan on taking advantage of the cooler weather that is forecast and also want the training burn to take place as close to fire season as possible while complying with the annual burn ban that is expected to go into effect July 1,” Phillips said.
Barn fires
Barn fires are common this time of year, when hay is cut, baled and stored in barns, he added.
Occasionally, hay bales will spontaneously ignite if the hay was not fully cured in the field prior to baling and storage inside.
Safety of nearby fields and homes is being addressed in advance of the training burn, the fire chief said.
“We go through a lengthy planning process that incorporates a 15- to 20-page safety action plan,” Phillips said.
Teams of firefighters will patrol the area to make certain no spot fires develop and will extinguish them any if they are found.
Residents are asked to watch out for fire vehicles driving on Monroe Road between Mariah Winds and Baker Farm roads.
The barn is not of any historic significance and has been inspected by certified authorities for any hazards including asbestos, according to Phillips.
