Family of 5 needs help after devastating Tri-Cities home fire. Other fires in the area

A family of five is trying to rebuild after a devastating fire destroyed their Finley home and a neighbor’s earlier this month.

Flames broke out at a neighbor’s home at the Columbia Place mobile home park on the afternoon of July 14. The Robert Salas and Maria Lopez’s 12-year-old daughter was home at the time when she heard cracking noises about 4:30 p.m.

“She exited out of the home to see the blaze spreading toward their home,” GoFundMe organizer Jocelyn Perez said. “A few moments later, the rest of the family arrived to see their home all in flames.”

Benton County Fire District 1 firefighters arrived soon after, keeping the fire from spreading further but couldn’t save the two homes.

Perez, whose mother is a neighbor, said she started the fundraiser to help the agricultural workers who are concerned about the upcoming school year for their three kids.

Lopez told Perez that they have lost everything and are heartbroken that a home they worked so hard for is gone.

“The memories, their valuable belongings, the kitchen they recently remodeled, all gone within minutes,” Perez wrote on the GoFundMe. “No one is ever prepared to experience these kinds of situations. Within a blink of an eye your life can change completely.”

Perez said any support they can give to the family would be helpful. They’re currently staying with a family friend at the same mobile home park.

People can donate by going to bit.ly/SalasLopezFire .

Rash of fires

The Tri-Cities region has seen a series of home fires in recent weeks, including the fire that killed 65-year-old Evelyn Craig last week. She was overcome by the smoke and heat and couldn’t get out in time, officials have said.

In Kennewick, firefighters extinguished a fire in a duplex on the 3700 block of West Sixth Avenue after a bedroom caught fire.

The occupant tried to put out the flames before calling 911. By the time, fire crews arrived in about three minutes, heavy smoke and flames was coming from a back window.

Firefighters got the fire out in about 10 minutes, stopping it from spreading to the other unit in the duplex.

The two people living in the unit got outside safely.

The Central and Southeastern chapter of the Red Cross was called in to help them find a place to stay.

Another fire in Finley on Sunday morning was reported shortly before noon when an electrical problem ignited a manufactured home.

The occupants smelled smoke before smoke alarms started sounding. Firefighters found a small fire in a bedroom.

One person was treated on the scene after breathing in smoke. And the Red Cross was called in to help them find another place to stay while their electrical system was evaluated.

Franklin County wildfire

Also on Sunday, firefighters responded to several more fires, including a blaze that started north of Lyons Ferry State Park. As of Monday morning, firefighters reportedly had contained the fire that started near Davin Road on Sunday about 7:30 a.m.

It burned in rough terrain of grass and sagebrush that was difficult for firefighters to reach, fire officials said. It threatened range land , wheat, Lyons Ferry fish hatchery and state park.

Washington state brought in helicopters to help put water on some of the remote areas.

What is going on?

Firefighters are normally busy in the summer with dry grass being lit on fire, but firefighters recently have found themselves busy responding to many house fires.

Kennewick Fire Chief Chad Michael said the cause of the fires have involved a range of factors.

But there are steps people can take to keep themselves safer in the summer months. Michael suggested that people take more caution when disposing of items, such as hot charcoal briquettes.

“The big thing is to really be fire conscious,” he said. “People should be hyper conscious of the different outcomes that can lead to a really bad fire.”

One of the leading factors in limiting property damage has been the fast response of people calling 911.

Michael noted they had a fire on a deck that they were able to contain quickly because a neighbor noticed it and called.

“We want to partner with the community to finish the summer safely,” Michael said.