How Dry Is It? Car Rims Hitting Curb Trigger Sparks, Causing Brush Fire

Most people are probably a little 'tired' of hearing about how high the fire danger is, or how dry conditions are. We live in the Mid-Columbia, hot, torchy weather is a way of life. But we've never seen this happen before, at least not for a LONG time.

Kennewick fire and police crews responded to a small brush fire at the corner of Canal Drive and Quincy Streets Tuesday afternoon. It was quickly put out, after burning a few hundred square feet on a small hillside.

But it was the cause that got everyone's attention. According to witnesses, a car trying to turn at the intersection was traveling too fast, and clipped the curb. The resulting impact of the wheels or rims scraping the curb sent sparks into the brush, igniting it!

According to police, the car didn't stop and left the scene and has not been located. We've heard of sparks from trains and combines in the fields triggering fires, but never sparks from a car hitting a curb.

It's pretty dry out there folks!