Creston Fire Rescue and the Canyon-Lister and Wynndel-Lakeview fire departments responded to a structure fire in Arrow Creek on Dec. 13, for the first time since the joint fire protection agreement covering Arrow Creek went into effect.
Crews were called out around 4:30 p.m. Dec. 13 to a Lakeview-Arrow Creek Road home, which was filled with thick smoke and had flames travelling toward the roof’s edge.
“The fire had rapidly spread into the void spaces in the attic and roof assembly, which made it difficult for crews to gain control of the fire immediately,” said a Creston Fire Rescue press release.
It took crews several hours to extinguish the blaze, which originated from a woodstove, but the departments’ combined effort saved most of the home and its contents, although damage was estimated in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Creston Fire Rescue Chief Michael Moore recommends that wood burning appliances be inspected, as the heat generated by a chimney can start a fire.
“It is a really good idea to have a wood fireplace inspected for its installation,” he said. “In this fire, it is evident that the installation of the chimney was not adequate with clearances and over time there will be a fire.”