Palouse field fire threatens home

Fire crews from Palouse and Colfax responded to a grain fire along the Palouse Highway late last Friday afternoon.

The fire started off a combine in a field which was being harvested by Frank Lange.

Strong winds blew the blaze across the top of the ridge and at one point threatened the residence of Ernie Motteram.

The house is located on the top of a hill and was in the path of the fire which was moving eastbound.

Palouse Fire Chief Mike Bagott said the first fire truck at the scene encountered rolling flames, blowing smoke and dust, but was able to hit the front of the fast-moving fire.

Colfax volunteer Jim Krouse said early in the response one of the tractors on the scene put down a disk cut in the field between the fire and the house, but the fire managed to jump the cut and continue eastbound.

Krouse said some green space around the house helped save it.

Tanker trucks from the departments staged just west of the house while fire trucks and three tractors with disks shut down the fire.

Lange credited the fast response of the first crews and the help from neighbors in getting the fire under control.

He estimated 10 acres of grain and 20 acres of stubble were consumed along the hill which is on the north side of the highway near mile marker nine.

Steptoe and Albion trucks from District 11 also got to the scene along with the Palouse and Colfax units.

The field fire was located on the far east side of District 11 close to the border with the Palouse district.