What began as a simple woodstove cleanout turned disastrous for a family in Sweet Home, Oregon, when ash they dumped on the grass started a fire.
Flames spread through the surrounding grass and vegetation before reaching the residence, destroying the house and other property on the site.
Here's what to know
According to KATU, two residents were away from home for about 15 minutes after dumping cleaned-out woodstove ash in the grass, and by the time they returned, they had lost their house. Firefighters from the local district and the Oregon Department of Forestry quickly brought the blaze under control, and no injuries were reported.
Fire officials said residents described it as a way to get rid of woodstove ash they had used before. This time, the ash ignited nearby grass and vegetation, and the fire spread from there to the home.
The blaze also burned a power pole, prompting a call to Consumer Power to ensure the utility lines had been shut off. Sweet Home Fire District said the family also lost a 5th-wheel camp trailer and a pickup truck kept in an attached carport.
When they returned about 15 minutes later, the residents found the house fully engulfed, "with fire in the grass between the ash pile and the structure."
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More background
Officials were told that disposing of woodstove ash in the grass was not new for the residents, but in this instance the surrounding grass and vegetation appear to have provided the fuel that carried the fire to the house.
Rather than staying limited to the ash pile area, the fire traveled across the yard, reached the residence, and also damaged utility infrastructure by burning a power pole.
In addition to the destroyed home, the family lost two more pieces of property stored at the residence — the 5th-wheel trailer and the pickup in the attached carport — and was connected with the American Red Cross for temporary shelter.
What can be done?
This fire is a reminder that woodstove ash should not be emptied into grass or other vegetation. In this case, after the ash was dumped outside, flames moved through the yard and created a path from the ash pile to the house.
While local firefighters and the Oregon Department of Forestry contained the fire, Consumer Power also de-energized the affected lines after the power pole burned.
Where can I learn more?
Incidents like this show how fast a fire can spread when dry vegetation near a home catches fire. These articles cover house fires sparked near properties, rebuilding after Oregon wildfires, and steps homeowners are taking to better protect their homes from flames.
• A homeowner said neighbors' massive fire mere feet from the property left it nearly uninhabitable.
• In Talent, Oregon, residents built back greener after a devastating wildfire destroyed homes.
• An off-grid homeowner installed an innovative fire prevention system to protect a forest home.
• After a neighbor burned a lawn, one homeowner found a silver lining in lower-maintenance landscaping.
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