BILLINGS — A Billings West End home caught fire twice in a single weekend after improperly discarded cigarettes ignited material under a deck, and fire officials say the hot, dry conditions across the region are making situations like this far more dangerous.
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The warning comes after a fire on Pine Cove Road sent one person to the hospital Friday.
Related: One sent to hospital during Billings house fire
Fifteen-year-old Matea McRae watched the fire from her nearby home.
“I came outside, and all I saw was just a huge cloud of smoke,” McRae said. “And I looked in the windows, and there was just flames. Like, it was bad.”
McRae said the street was blocked for several hours as firefighters worked to contain the flames, but days later, the incident wasn't over. Just before 6 a.m. Sunday, another fire broke out in the home's attic. Fire officials believe the second fire was a rekindle of the original blaze.
“It was definitely concerning, and it was definitely scary because you're like, 'That's crazy. How did that happen?'” McRae said. “Everything was just fine like a little bit ago, and just for it to shoot up in flames like that, it was pretty scary.”
Billings Fire Prevention Bureau investigator and Fire Marshal Jaime Fender told MTN News that the initial fire started after cigarettes were improperly discarded, igniting material underneath a deck.
Billings Fire Battalion Chief Rick Schauer said the hot, dry conditions can make it easier for fires to spread, while strong winds can make them even more difficult to control.
"It was caused by discarded cigarettes that were left out, and when it's hot and stuff like that and dry, that's the one thing you want to be really diligent about,” said Schauer.
The department takes several steps to make sure a fire scene is secure, and Schauer said rekindles are not common. Hidden heat can sometimes remain in places firefighters cannot easily see, including insulation or void spaces inside a structure.
“Even the remediation board company was there, and kind of secured the site too,” Schauer said. “It kind of made it through all those checkpoints and still, a day and a half later with the hot and dry temperatures, caused what we believe is a rekindle.”
The Billings fire comes as wildfires continue to threaten communities across the region. In the Spokane area, wildfires have forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate and destroyed or damaged more than 900 homes and other structures.
Related: Close call in Billings Heights highlights urban wildfire danger as Spokane fires burn
“Things can get out of control, especially when high winds are up,” Schauer said. “We are fighting against Mother Nature with the hot and the dry and the wind, especially the last few days.”
Wind can push flames into new areas, carry embers, and make it harder for firefighters to contain a fire. Dry grass, leaves and other vegetation around a home can also provide fuel.
Schauer said discarded smoking materials and cooking incidents are among the common sources of fires firefighters respond to.
In dry weather, improperly discarded cigarettes can pose an especially serious risk. Schauer said homeowners should make sure cigarettes and ashes are completely extinguished before throwing them away, and he also recommended taking extra care when extinguishing smoking materials and considering water as part of the process.
“Some of the material that they put in the potting soils can be flammable and cause fires,” Schauer said. "Maybe incorporate some water or something into your extinguishing plan."
Schauer also recommends homeowners check smoke alarms regularly and replace batteries when needed, make sure everyone in the home knows at least two ways to get out, and keep dry grass, leaves, and other combustible debris away from the home.
Schauer said fire crews often see an increase in activity during the hot and dry part of August.
“It feels like we're getting busier, and that's kind of a dry part of August. Always creates like a little bit of uptick," said Schauer. "We're looking at being busier the longer the heat kind of sticks around.”
For McRae, watching the fire unfold close to home was a reminder that conditions can change quickly.
“I definitely know all the smoke in the wind is definitely concerning for up here and how bad it's been lately,” she said. “But I hope it doesn't come to what Spokane is.”
