At least six fires over Independence Day weekend were connected to fireworks in the Sequim area, report leaders with Clallam County Fire District 3.

Fire Chief Justin Grider wrote in a press release that crews responded to 65 calls from 8 a.m. July 4 to 8 a.m. July 6. Of those calls, six are confirmed to have been started by fireworks, Battalion Chief Chris Turner said in an interview.

He confirmed the following:

• On July 4 at 3:50 p.m., firefighters responded to and extinguished a 5-foot-by-15-foot grass fire on the 100 block of Loop Drive.

• At 8 p.m., they extinguished a small grass fire (measurements not documented) near the intersection of Serpentine Avenue and Jamestown Road.

• At 8:37 p.m. firefighters responded to the 300 block of South Fifth Avenue for a 5-foot-by-5-foot brush fire. Upon arriving, the fire had been extinguished by law enforcement, Turner said.

• At 9:31 p.m., firefighters extinguished a 20-foot-by-30-foot grass and beach log fire just past the boat launch on Cline Spit.

• At 10:21 p.m., crews responded to a fire at the base of a power pole at the 100 block of South Rhodefer Road.

• On July 5, just before 9 p.m., firefighters worked through the night on the 3000 block of East Sequim Bay Road to extinguish a 150-foot-by-150-foot brush fire that was burning in four directions and going over the bluff. Turner said they stayed through 2 p.m. July 6 to ensure the fire was out and the Department of Natural Resources Wildland Team took over extinguishing the fire while FD3 crews supplied water.

More calls

Fire District 3 crews were also called to assist in a few mutual aid calls with neighboring districts, including a structure fire on Elwha River Road where they were called off en route on July 4, and to the Port Angeles Transfer Station early Sunday morning, July 6, where scrap metal and appliances were on fire, Turner said.

Sequim-area firefighters responded to an alleged brush fire the night of July 4 on Keeler Road but they could not find a fire, and they reported to a 1-foot-by-1-foot fire in a yard caused by an overheated light bulb on the morning of July 5 in Sunland.

That night around 9:17 p.m. firefighters helped extinguish a residential structure fire on the 100 block of Fasola Road. Its cause remains under investigation and more information on the fire was unavailable, Turner said.

Grider said no injuries were reported at any of the fires.

He said his crews also responded to one traffic collision and 50 Emergency Medical Service (EMS) calls.

Grider said with local agencies helping each other, “our automatic and mutual aid partners are critical.”

Peninsula Communications (PenCom), Clallam County’s 911 service, reported there were 21 alleged fireworks violations in Sequim on July 4.

Provisions

Sequim city councilors voted to ban the discharge of consumer fireworks in 2018, and the sale of consumer fireworks within city limits is no longer allowed after July 4, 2025.

Sequim Police Department leaders have said they seek compliance first before enforcing any kind of fine because most people have been compliant after being asked to stop discharging fireworks in city limits.

The City of Sequim continued to offer a Fourth of July event in Carrie Blake Community Park this year, including a fireworks display. It was moved further south in the park to better protect nesting eagles just north of the park, and to better match federal regulations.

FD3 staff and East Clallam Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) assisted with the event, Grider said.

Clallam County allows legal, consumer fireworks to only be discharged from 9 a.m.-midnight on July 4 in unincorporated Clallam County east of the Elwha River unless there is a period of fire danger.

Clallam’s burn restrictions run July 1-Oct. 1 unless conditions warrant a total burn ban. The restriction applies to all outdoor burning except recreational fires used for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, warmth, cooking or similar purposes, and propane “weed burners.”

Grider said “the need for caution continues as we progress deeper into summer.”

“We urge everyone to adhere to the burn restrictions currently in place and continue to monitor for any changes that may come,” he said.

“Your cooperation is crucial in preventing further incidents and safeguarding our community.”

For more information about burn restrictions, visit ccfd3.org.