77 acres burn in wildfire south of Kennewick. Gunshots may be to blame

A fire tore through about 77 acres of sagebrush and grass in rural Benton County south of Kennewick late, starting late Wednesday.

While investigators haven’t been able to determine what started the fire, people reported hearing gunshots about 6 p.m. in the area near Finley Road, said Jenna Kochenauer, Benton County Fire District 1’s public information officer.

The blaze threatened one home and several outbuildings, she said. Some fire engines were stationed at the home to protect it from the approaching flames. The fire sent up a plume of smoke visible for miles around the Tri-Cities.

District 1 firefighters were joined in the overnight effort by Benton County fire districts 2 and 4, Walla Walla district 5, Franklin County district 3 and the Kennewick Fire Department.

Firefighters were able to get it contained by about 11 p.m. They continued working on Thursday to put out smoldering sections.

No one was hurt and no buildings were damaged.

Kochenauer said the fire highlighted the need for people to be prepared for a possible fire near their homes, including having water and a shovel handy and a phone to call 911.

The brush fire is the second big blaze in the Finley area in less than two weeks.

What may be the largest structure fire in Tri-Cities history is continuing to burn 10 days after it started in a cold storage warehouse, sending toxic smoke from burning plastic and other materials drifting over nearby homes.