Crews extinguish large brush fire in Covington | Photos

Twenty-four units responded to a large brush fire Tuesday afternoon behind the former Covington Elementary School in the 17000 block of Southeast Wax Road in Covington.

Two sheds were burned but crews were able to keep the fire away from several residential structures, according to a media release from Kent-based Puget Sound Fire, which also serves Covington. There were no injuries to firefighters or residents. Firefighters contained the fire at about 5 p.m. The fire broke out about 3:43 p.m.

A 911 call reported a grass fire behind the former school. The first crew spotted a fire of about 100 feet by 100 feet in the grass and requested additional resources. As the fire continued to spread into a wooded area to the north of the field, the fire was upgraded to a second alarm to bring in more units. Engines were positioned on the street to the north to protect several homes.

Crews did a great job protecting the neighborhood and stopped the fire as it fire burned right up to the houses and in a few cases into back yards, according to Puget Sound Fire. Two sheds were burned but no houses were lost.

The fire burned up to and damaged a new construction project to the north of the woods, but crews managed to stop the fire at the property line serving the facility that was almost ready to be occupied.

As crews aggressively fought the fire resources were being stretched across all of south King County and a strike team from Zone 1 (North King County ) was requested bring an additional five engines , a medic unit and a chief officer from Bellevue and Mercer Island to the fire. In total 24 local units responded to the fire including Mountain View Fire, Renton RFA, Enumclaw Fire, King County Medic One and Zone 3 Fire Rehab as well as the units from Zone 1.

The King County Sheriff’s Office and Covington Police Department assisted with traffic and getting folks out of the neighborhood.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The recent hot and dry weather has created dangerous fire conditions. Crews from across the area have been working hard for the last two days with fires that we typically experience on the east side of the state but are becoming normal here, according to Puget Sound Fire.