Fire District 4 officials told the Crescent Community Advisory Council on Sept. 3 that the district has been unusually busy this summer, averaging roughly 1.3 calls per day during a recent 35‑day stretch, and that the district responded to a large structure fire in June that required mutual aid.

Fire Chief Frank Waters reported that the June fire on Gossett Road engulfed a garage and cottage and required mutual aid from Port Angeles and District 2: “We had 4 engines, 7 tenders, 3 ambulances,” he said. Responders were able to save a trailer and part of the residence but used a significant volume of water and rotated crews through rehabilitation to avoid heat injuries, Waters said. The cause is under investigation and being handled by the owner’s insurance company, he said.

Waters also described several other incidents: a false alarm that originated from an iPhone emergency call, a collision in which a rental car struck an elk that resulted in the elk being destroyed and the vehicle towed, and that the district has seen multiple stroke calls involving older adults. He reported no fatalities from the elk collision and only minor human injuries from the incidents he described.

Waters announced a public open house for the district’s new station in November, tentatively planned for noon to 3 p.m. He also noted the death of former Commissioner Mary Bauer and said the department is coordinating any formal announcement with the family.

Why it matters: the large structure fire required a coordinated mutual-aid response, used substantial water resources and raised concerns about response protocols for extreme heat. The new station will provide a local facility for the community and the district said staff will publicize the open house on social media and a flyer.

Next steps: the district will finalize open-house plans, continue mutual‑aid coordination, and work on documentation for the fire investigator and insurance process. No formal council or county action was taken on these operational items at the meeting.