WHITMAN COUNTY, WA – Firefighters extinguished a large field fire North of Pullman on Tuesday afternoon.
Whitman County Fire District 12 Volunteers out of Pullman were called to the blaze at the Washington State University Cook Agronomy Farm off Whelan Road around 1:15.
Volunteers from District 4 out of Palouse, Moscow Rural Fire Department and a City of Pullman Fire Department brush truck crew were all called in to assist. A Washington State Department of Natural resources helicopter stationed at the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport dropped water on the flames.
Several farmers plowed with discs around the flames which played a major role in containing the blaze. The fire burned about 200 acres of stubble, standing grain and some scattered timber and brush. Crews had the fire knocked down by about 2:00.
A grain truck caught fire and quickly spread to the field. This is the second Pullman area field fire caused by equipment at a WSU research farm in the past week.