FERNDALE, Wash. -- Hay bales covered in a tarp with a Trump 2020 campaign sign were burned to the ground Sunday near Ferndale.



According to the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called to a reported arson near Grandview and Enterprise Roads on Feb. 16. Deputies arrived to find hay bales with a sign labeled TRUMP 2020 were on fire.



Eleven hay bales worth about $500 were destroyed. Firefighters arrived and put out the fire before it spread to a nearby home.



Sheriff Bill Elfo says there has been an increasing number of reports of political sign vandalism in the last year.



“Over the past year, the Sheriff’s Office has investigated several reports of damage and theft of a political campaign sign," said Elfo. "In this instance, the crime resulted in the destruction of private property that had the propensity to spread and jeopardize nearby structures and their occupants. This incident also resulted in the use of Fire District, Sheriff’s Office and Ferndale Police assets that were unavailable for the duration of the response to respond to other emergencies. We are asking anyone who may have information regarding the person or persons responsible to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 360-778-6600.”