NORTH KITSAP – A tree farm owner lost a valuable piece of equipment Sunday night when his brush and tree stump pile ignited.

“The fire appears to have started as a brush fire that spread to a large slash pile, the size of which was around 200 feet by 200 feet,” North Kitsap Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Sean Moran said.

Neighbors called 911 after noticing the smell of smoke and seeing “a glow in the sky” Aug. 12. Fire crews from North Kitsap Fire and Rescue, Poulsbo Fire Department, and Bainbridge Island Fire Department responded to the fire just after 10:30 p.m. on Kingston Farm Road, off of Parcells Road.

The fire took approximately two hours to contain. Firefighters sprayed approximately 25,000 gallons of water from four fire engines and five tender tanks. In total, firefighters spent about nine hours on scene, working into the morning hours Monday to ensure the fire was completely extinguished.

The Kitsap County Fire Marshal investigated the incident and could not determine the exact cause of the fire. Damage estimates from the loss of the caterpillar skidder, equipment used for moving logs, is approximately $25,000.

Officials would like to remind residents that fire, by nature, is an unpredictable force. With the warmer weather and no rain expected for some time, dryer conditions significantly raise the fire danger.