Bainbridge firefighters extinguish late-night grass fire

Bainbridge Island firefighters put out their third grass fire of the summer during an early-morning call Saturday just east of the Ace Hardware store on High School Road.

Bainbridge Island firefighters put out their third grass fire of the summer during an early-morning call Saturday just east of the Ace Hardware store on High School Road.

Bainbridge Island Fire Department Assistant Chief Luke Carpenter said a taxi driver reported the fire just after 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

The flames were reportedly 2 feet high, and firefighters found the blaze had scorched an area about 10-foot square when they arrived. Firefighters had the fire out in about 20 minutes.

The fire was in a wooded area near the hardware store where homeless encampments have been discovered previously.

Human activity is the probable source of the fire, said Carpenter, who also serves as fire marshal for Bainbridge Island.