Apart from a birdhouse, no structures were damaged in a brush fire Sunday afternoon on South Whidbey.

Around 4:14 p.m., South Whidbey Fire/EMS responded to a Double Bluff Road address about halfway between Lancaster Road and the beach and off-leash dog park of the same name. Division Chief Alex Magallon said the fire was caused by a recently cut down tree, which hit the power line. This happened near a steep hillside covered in salal and blackberry bushes that caught fire as a result.

The Department of Natural Resources brought a helicopter to the scene to assist in the response. Nearby personnel from Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue also helped. Puget Sound Energy workers shut off power to the surrounding area for about two hours. Double Bluff Road was closed for about three hours until 7 p.m., Magallon said.

He estimated that most of the fire was put out within the first two hours, but DNR officials stayed longer on the scene through the night to make sure no hotspots were activated. The fire burned through an area of 50 feet by 50 feet. Luckily, it did not damage the home on the property, and only a birdhouse attached to the tree perished. No injuries were reported.

Magallon said that compared with the brush fire that happened last month, also in Freeland, the most recent one was much smaller in scale.

Island County is currently under a Type 2 burn ban, which prohibits outdoor burning in unincorporated Island County, including recreational fires and the use and discharge of consumer fireworks, unless authorized by a permit issued by the fire marshal. Barbeque grills using propane or briquettes, or self-contained camp stoves are exempt.

(Photo by South Whidbey Fire/EMS) A tree that hit a power line caused a brush fire Sunday afternoon.