The people who fought the Eastside's biggest modern wildfire issued a warning on Tuesday, urging people to be ready for the 2006 wildfire season.
Fire officials said a wildfire like the one that burned 30 acres in Carnation in August 2003 will happen again.
"We had these tornadoes of fire whipping sticks into the air and it was raining falling debris all over the neighborhood," said Randy Bloom, who saw the fire burn toward his home on that afternoon.
"It was terrifying, I mean, I at that point really thought, 'We're going to lose some houses here,' and I was really afraid for the neighbors across the street because they were literally backed up against the fire."
Firefighters said Carnation dodged a bullet. One bad break, and homes, or lives, could have gone.
They warn we need to be ready, in a year that's already threatening.
"We've already seen a couple of incidents along Interstate 5 in the Lakewood area, where (a) cigarette out the window started a little patch on the side of the freeway," said Dep. Chief Jon Fallstrom of King County Fire District 10. "And here we are just in the first of May."
Firefighters said nearly a third of all wildfires in Washington are either arsons or due to carelessness, including the 2003 Carnation fire, which was started by illegal fireworks.
"These were illegal fireworks that were being discharged at a point in time when, number one it was unsafe because of the dry conditions and number two, it was out of season for them, so, that made it just doubly bad," said King County Fire Marshal Lawrence Canary.
Firefighters said the person who started the fire disappeared shortly after it happened.
If you know anything that would help to find him, the King County Fire Marshal's Office would like you to call them at (206) 296-6670.
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