Multiple small fires near the Yakima River outside of Toppenish were fought and controlled by fire crews with the help of a bulldozer and a drone on Monday, according to Yakima County Fire District 5.
YCFD5 Deputy Fire Chief Joel Byam said the fire started at 5:30 p.m. and burned two acres before crews established a perimeter at 7:30 p.m.
YCFD5 says thick vegetation kept crews from getting to the fire, which was discovered to be several small fires through the use of a drone.
Crews were forced to wait until a bulldozer arrived to gain access to the fires. YCFD5 crews and members of Yakama Nation Fire Management worked to eventually contain the fire. YCFD5 noes that the technology used to fight the fire, including the drone and the bulldozer, were "crucial to the mitigation of this incident."