Two fires Tuesday for Colfax department

WHITMAN COUNTY—Colfax firefighters had less than a 20-minute break between fighting field fires Aug. 25.

Colfax brought three units to a fire off Shields Road near the intersection with Ballaine Road as part of the District 11 response. Units were called out to a tractor fire that spread to the stubble and windrow straw the tractor had been baling. A total of 12 units arrived to fight the fire; three from District Two in St. John, and three from Colfax, three from Steptoe, two from Diamond and one from Albion which all comprise District 11.

The tractor and baler it was pulling were both a complete loss according to Steptoe Fire Chief Greg Hall. The fire also consumed 60 to 70 acres of stubble and straw. The Colfax fire log shows all crews back in the station from the Shields Road fire at 4:09 p.m.

At 4:22 p.m. firefighters were called out again for a field fire on Trestle Creek Road near Oakesdale. The combine-ignited fire burned about 85 acres of standing grain and stubble. Erratic winds and high field load made the fire harder to fight, said Rosalia Fire Chief Bill Tensfeld.

Eighteen trucks and water tenders showed up to fight the fire. Response came from Garfield, Farmington, Oakesdale, Rosalia, Steptoe and Colfax. Tensfeld estimated crews spent two and half hours fighting the blaze. Colfax was logged back into the station at 7 p.m.

No equipment or structures were burned or threatened at the Trestle Creek Road fire.

No one was injured in either fire or response.