Steve Krentel, whose leadership at a Covington-area fire district has been under assault since last fall, will retire as of Sept. 1, he told the St. Tammany Fire Protection District 12 board of commissioners in a letter Thursday. Krentel, whose wife was killed nearly a year ago, said in a phone interview that he had always planned to retire as soon as he was eligible to do so.
- PUB DATE: 6/22/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Advocate

Theoretical and hands-on training for first responders in north Spokane county immediately turned to application on Wednesday when a wildfire broke out near Chattaroy. Firefighters from across the region are meeting this week in Deer Park for the third annual Interagency Wildfire Training Academy. The goal of the academy is to provide specialized training, and connect different agencies in the area and assist them in collaboration.
- PUB DATE: 6/22/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KREM 2

Police are looking for suspects who started a suspicious fire in Kennewick. Kennewick police said Wednesday a fire erupted in a field behind 1011 North Cleveland Street. Kennewick firefighters put out the flames. Fire crews say there was some window damage to a home, but there were no reports of anyone getting hurt.
- PUB DATE: 6/21/2018 5:50:29 PM - SOURCE: KEPR-TV CBS 19

Firefighters say discarded cigarettes left on a cardboard box started an apartment fire Thursday morning. Yakima fire crews responded to an alarm around 8:50 a.m. at the Beech Street Apartments and found a fire contained to a third floor deck of one of the units. Firefighters are crediting the sprinkler system from keeping the fire from spreading to the attic which could have caused major damage.
- PUB DATE: 6/21/2018 4:41:44 PM - SOURCE: KIMA-TV CBS 29 Yakima

A Tuesday morning fire at Brooklake Church caused an estimated $150,000 worth of damage to the exterior of the building. South King Fire & Rescue Captain Jeff Bellinghausen said there was no damage to the inside of the building, 629 S. 356th St. The fire was most likely caused by a cigarette butt left on the bark outside the church, Bellinghausen said.
- PUB DATE: 6/21/2018 1:03:24 PM - SOURCE: Federal Way Mirror