Brush fire burns near New Tacoma Cemetery in University Place

UPDATE as of 6:45 p.m. The University Place brush fire was extinguished before it reached any homes, West Pierce said.

INITIAL POST: Firefighters worked to put out blazes across Pierce County on Tuesday, during what’s already been a particularly awful fire season.

A brush fire burned a wooded area near the New Tacoma Cemetery at 9212 Chambers Creek Road W. about 5:30 p.m.

Firefighters were trying to keep the blaze from spreading toward nearby homes, West Pierce Fire & Rescue spokeswoman Jenny Weekes said.

At the same time, crews headed to an apartment fire on the second floor of the Brookside Apartments in Lakewood, at 5124 Seattle Ave. SW.

Crews had that fire under control about 6 p.m. Residents in all 10 units were displaced, and one person had minor burns, Weekes said.

Hot, dry weather this summer has been letting small fires quickly spread out of control, she said.

West Pierce responded to 14 brush fires between June 1 and July 20, 2014. They had 102 during that time this year.

Across Pierce County, South Sound 911 dispatchers have sent crews to 500 brush fires between June 1 and July 20 this summer, compared with 145 during that time last year.

Central Pierce Fire & Rescue also had its hands full Tuesday.

Puyallup police said suspects in the De Coursey Park fire are described as two white teenage boys, one of whom was wearing a white shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police tip line at 253-770-3343.

This story was originally published July 28, 2015 at 6:40 PM with the headline "Brush fire burns near New Tacoma Cemetery in University Place."