SPOKANE, Wash. – According to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the investigation into the cause of the Gray Fire that burned 10,000 acres this summer can be traced to a security light.
The incident started when residents of the property that the light was on had contacted Inland Power several times earlier in the summer that the light was “flickering,” but no one came out to fix it.
DNR and Inland Power were both contacted shortly after the fire broke out and responded to Gray Road.
The resident that reported the fire to Inland Power was put on hold for 10 minutes before explaining that the light was sparking.
Another 15 to 20 minutes after that Inland Power arrived to disconnect power to the light and noticed a loose connection at the junction box that the light was connected to.
After months of investigation the DNR concluded that the fire started when sparks from the light ignited nearby brush.
The damages caused by both the Gray and Elk fires were estimated to cost more than $5 billion dollars to repair and rebuild what was lost, according to Governor Jay Inslee.
The legal ramifications and damage litigation for recovery costs have not been determined yet, but the results of the investigation were sent to Washington State Attorney Gerneral’s Office.
Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz gave this statement regarding the recent release.
“I thank DNR’s investigation team for their diligent work to uncover the cause of this fire, and my thoughts remain with the people of Medical Lake as they continue to recover. The cause of this fire is clear, and it is a tragic reminder that even the smallest of sparks care ignite a devastating fire when the conditions are right. We all have a responsibility to take care to make sure we’re one less spark.”
To read more in depth about the investigation and the damages caused by the fire click here.
