Bonney Lake Brush Fire 100% Contained

BONNEY LAKE, WA — A brush fire burning in a Bonney Lake neighborhood has been fully contained, after the blaze briefly forced a level one evacuation for several nearby streets. Though homes in the area are in no immediate danger, East Pierce Fire & Rescue says they will continue to tend the burn zone through the night and potentially into Friday morning, putting out any lingering hot spots and watching for flare ups.

The brush fire was first reported around 3:30 p.m. as a slow moving, 100 square foot fire burning near 210th and 132nd St. Ct. E. The fire quickly picked up pace, however, and eventually grew to several acres in size, forcing the Pierce County Sheriff's Department to issue a level one evacuation order for the nearby neighborhood at around 6 p.m.

A level one evacuation does not mean that residents need to leave their homes just yet, but it does mean they need to be prepared to go at moment's notice, if the situation escalates.

During the order, firefighters from multiple fire agencies were called to assist and rushed to keep the blaze from moving closer to nearby homes.

Units that responded included a fire chopper and a team specializing in protecting structures. Thanks to their combined efforts, there have been no reports of injuries or burned buildings.

By around 7 p.m. the fire was roughly 5 to 7 acres in size. Though the evacuation order has since been lifted, because of the rate at which the fire grew, the Pierce County Sheriff's Department at one point warned nearby residents to be prepared in case the evacuation was expanded or upgraded into a level two or three.

Now that the evacuation order has expired, most units have been called off, but East Pierce Fire says others will remain on scene patrolling the fire through the night to ensure it doesn't kick back up again.