Light My Fire Firefighter Auction, a benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, will be held Friday at The Pit Restaurant, 102 W. Main St.

The full night of entertainment will include music, dinner, prizes and silent auction involving area firefighters.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the silent auction preview. Optional dinner service is at 6:30 p.m., followed by the live auction at 8. People can meet the auctionees starting at 7 p.m.

Auction winners gain either a four-hour date or four hours of labor with a firefighter.

The benefit traditionally follows the annual Scott Firefighter Stair Climb, which brings some 1,500 firefighters from around the world to Seattle to raise money to fight blood cancers. This year’s climb was last Sunday.

Last year’s event raised more than $6,000 for the society.

“Everyone who comes out is so generous and supportive in our effort to help the Leukemia Society,” said event organizer Linda Kent of Professional Union Firefighter. “We wanted to give something back – other than the tax deduction they get to claim.”

Those who attend also will have a chance to win raffles as well as an array of silent auction items, from a 25-person wine tasting party at Tacoma’s Vino Aquino to handy tools.

Classic rock band 3rd Degree Burn will perform after the auction. Seattle Firefighters Pipes and Drums bagpipe band also will appear.

Ticket prices are: $5 entry and six raffle tickets; $25 entry, six raffle tickets, dinner and $20 in gift cards for The Pit Restaurant and Bar; $50 “Hot Ticket” includes entry, six raffle tickets, dinner, front row seating, event shirt and two $20 gift cards to The Pit.

Organizers are still accepting silent auction and raffle donations.

“This is an excellent opportunity to gain community goodwill,” Kent said.

“Lots of generous ladies – and gentlemen – opened their wallets last year to help fight leukemia,” Kent said. “Despite the economy, I hope people will again be as generous.”

Kris Howard, senior campaign director for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Washington chapter, said fundraising for the society is vital.

Every donation, no matter how large or small, she said, is essential in helping to raise money to fund lifesaving research and support patients and their families.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. Its mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since 1949, the Society has invested more than $550.8 million for research specifically targeting blood cancers.

According to the society, more than 747,000 Americans have leukemia, myeloma or lymphoma, the most common form of blood cancer. Among children under 20, leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer. In 2006, an estimated 2,640 Washingtonians were diagnosed with blood cancer and an estimated 1,150 lost their battle with the disease.

Event sponsors are Professional Union Firefighter, The Pit Restaurant and Bar, and Enumclaw Sales Pavilion.

To more information, call Professional Union Firefighter at 253-376-5947 or e-mail professionalunionfirefighter@comcast.net.