REVIEW BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
PICKIN’ A WINNER: Bluegrass festival returns to Bainbridge. A14
FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2013 | Vol. 113, No. 29 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢
BUSY WEEK FOR BAINBRIDGE FIREFIGHTERS
Brush fires, house fire keep fire engines rolling
Dog park won’t hunt at city hall BY RICHARD D. OXLEY Bainbridge Island Review
“I got a good sniffer,” she added. Shortly afterward, 13 firefighters from the Bainbridge Island Fire Department and Navy Region Northwest responded, Moravec said. Five Bainbridge Island Fire Department engines were called to the scene. The brush fire was contained within an hour. Investigators quickly ruled out natural causes. “It appears that the fire was caused by humans although no direct source of ignition could be found,” said Fire Marshall Luke Carpenter. “The fire had probably been smoldering for several days and today’s heat and wind caused it to flare up.” Carpenter said that there was no evidence of natural sources, such as lightening or spontaneous combustion. “There was evidence that people has been in the area,” Carpenter said. “The lack of evidence
The Bainbridge Island City Council discussed a long-awaited proposal for an off-leash dog park Wednesday — the first of its kind. But it might be a while longer until any dogs have their day. The council decided to put a hold on the proposal and begin a public process to gauge community interest in the land in question. The idea to place a dog park on a former landfill site off Vincent Road is nothing new. The Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District has pitched the idea to construct the park on the city-owned land before, but recently the idea has gained traction with the district. The project is not included in the city’s 2013 work plan and Interim Public Works Director John Cunningham asked for the council to say “yay” or “nay” on the effort. The council opted to say neither. “There was an agreement of determining the best use of this site,” said Councilwoman Kirsten Hytopoulos. “It sounds like we are going around it by setting up the premise that we are going to use it as a dog park.” Hytopoulos noted that the city’s comprehensive plan mentions the property and instructs that the community be involved at deciding the ultimate use of it. Other council members agreed and it was decided to engage a public process to decide what to do with
SEE BLAZES, A12
SEE DOG, A15
Henri Gendreau / Bainbridge Island Review
Firefighters examine the scene of a brush fire that scorched a wooded area near Madison Avenue and Monsaas Lane.
Islanders follow their noses to report troublesome blazes BY HENRI GENDREAU Bainbridge Island Review
A pair of persistent islanders tracked down a smoldering fire Monday that had eluded Bainbridge firefighters over the weekend. The Bainbridge Island Fire Department got an initial call about a possible fire somewhere near Madison Avenue and Monsaas Lane after witnesses said they had seen smoke billowing up from the trees Saturday evening. Neighbors Marshall and Coral Jacobsen called the Bainbridge Island Fire Department at approximately 8 p.m. that day. Bainbridge Island Fire Department Assistant Chief Jared Moravec said firefighters responded but could not locate any fire. At approximately 3:45 p.m. Monday, the Jacobsens once again called the department, but this time, they had found the fire firsthand — roughly 300 feet into the forest just north of their home.
Photo courtesy of the Bainbridge Island Fire Department
Firefighters dispatched to a smoke report at a home on Hidden Cove Road found flames shooting through the roof of the house when they arrived. Turn to Page A21 for coverage. “Yesterday we got home and I could still smell it,” Coral Jacobsen said Monday evening. “I said, ‘We’re going to go find it.’ And we found it.”