Ocean Shores firefighters along with a crew from Grays Harbor County Fire District No. 7 were able to extinguish the first dunes fire of the season on May 30 just west of the 500 block of Sand Dune Ave. near the Taurus beach approach.

When the fire call came in at 6:46 p.m., there were only two firefighters at the Ocean Shores Fire Station because of an ambulance response that had taken another two-person crew to Grays Harbor Community Hospital. Also responding from Ocean Shores was Fire Inspector Curt Begley, and the fire grew from a 30-by-30-foot blaze to about three acres in size before being put out about an hour later.

Reports were that the fire was moving at moderate speed, pushed by wind east toward Sand Dune Avenue SW.

With District No. 7 responding from Ocean City, a total of 14 firefighters fought the blaze, with two structural fire engines, three brush engines, an ambulance and a front-end loader manned by the Ocean Shores City shop workers.

“If it wasn’t for the mutual aid provided by Fire District 7, this fire could have burned much longer and had a much different outcome,” said Ocean Shores Fire Capt. Matt Krick.

The fire still is under investigation. The Fire Department advises that campfires must be kept 100 feet from the dunes at all times.