On July 4, at 8:15 p.m., the Orcas Island Fire Department was called to the area of Orcas Road and Dolphin Bay Road.

The first 911 call came from across East Sound, from the Vusario area, as a “large column of smoke.” Since the call came from Vusario, the address of the fire could not be pinpointed. Orcas Fire had to check roads and driveways from the area of the smoke to confirm a location.

The first Orcas Fire units arrived at 582 Swann Rd. to find a large log cabin home engulfed in flames with trees burning 75 feet into the air on the right side of the home. Engine 21 from Eastsound made what Lt. Patrick Shepler described as “an aggressive exterior, defensive attack, to dampen down the fire, extinguish the trees and protect the area from a wildland fire.”

The home was owned by Burke Thomas, who was not home at the time of the fire.

The fire took 10 Orcas Fire units and 27 firefighters to bring it under control.

“The home was a total loss from the arrival of the first units, but the application of over a thousand gallons of water in the first few minutes, combined with a steady water source via our water tenders ensured the safety of other nearby homes,” Shepler said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation at this time.