All evacuations lifted for Sumner Grade Fire as crews gain control
All evacuations for the Sumner Grade Fire in Bonney Lake were lifted Sunday night as firefighters got a better handle on the wildfire.
The fire is 65 percent contained and officials determined only 494 acres burned “due to the ability to walk the fire perimeter to confirm accuracy,” according to East Pierce Fire & Rescue.
Investigators say it started Monday by a blown transformer, destroying two houses and six outbuildings.
East Pierce Fire Chief Bud Backer stressed that the fire was not deliberately started.
“Anyone claiming otherwise is lying,” he wrote on Twitter. “They are spreading false information for their own agenda.”
Myers Road, where the fire started, remains closed except to local access.
State Route 410 also remains shut down and it is unknown when it will reopen.
Crews are cutting down hazardous trees and inspecting the hillside for rocks or debris that could drop onto the highway.
Scorched guardrails also must be replaced by the state Department of Transportation.
Firefighters continue to put out hot spots and increase buffer areas around homes in the area.
This story was originally published September 14, 2020 at 9:23 AM.
