It was a busy Fourth of July holiday weekend for fire crews across Clallam County as they responded to numerous fires and fire-related incidents.

The most significant incident occurred early Sunday morning, when a large fire that sent plumes of black smoke into the sky broke out in the metal recycling section of the Port Angeles Transfer Station at 5:21 am.  Port Angeles Fire Department (PAFD) units responded to reports of smoke in the area of West 18th Street. Multiple callers quickly confirmed a large column of black smoke rising from the landfill.

Crews arrived to find a fire engulfing a 200-by-25-foot area filled with discarded appliances and scrap metal. Flames reached approximately 50 feet in height. Additional engines and personnel from Clallam County Fire Districts 2 and 3 joined the response, along with heavy equipment operators from the City Landfill, who helped sift through debris. Firefighters spent over five hours on scene and used an estimated 60,000 gallons of water to extinguish the blaze. No injuries were reported, and the cause remains undetermined.

Meanwhile, Clallam County Fire District 3 (CCFD3) logged an intense 48-hour period from Friday morning through Sunday morning, responding to 65 calls for service including 6 wildland fires caused by fireworks with the cause of two others under investigation. In addition, District 3 firefighters responded to 2 structure fires, 1 traffic crash, 4 smoke investigations and burn complaints, and 50 Emergency Medical Service (EMS) calls.

Fire Chief Justin Grider says there were no reported injuries to people or pets during the weekend incidents.  He says that would not have been possible without the relentless efforts of our Fire District 3 staff and with the invaluable support of our Volunteer Firefighters, who showed classic dedication when demand peaked.

Photo: City of Port Angeles Fire Department