Fire update for Aug. 14, 2023
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 3 months AGO
A man walks through wildfire wreckage Friday in Lahaina, Hawaii.
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | August 12, 2023 11:29 AM
LAHAINA, Hawaii — The wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii had claimed at least 80 lives as of Saturday, according to the Associated Press.
The city of just under 13,000 on the island of Maui was left in ashes by a fire that began Tuesday, according to the AP. A combination of high winds, a small firefighting force and power outages that interfered with fire warnings made matters worse.
“I am devastated by the lives lost and the destruction in Lahaina,” Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands wrote in a statement. “This tragedy weighs heavy on our hearts — Washingtonians know all too well the devastation that can be caused as quick-moving wildfires upend families and destroy communities in a matter of minutes.
“We’re grieving with the people of Maui, and our thoughts are with the firefighters and emergency responders working to control these fires.
“The losses from this disaster are incalculable. The people of Washington send hope to the people of Maui for relief from the flames and strength as they rebuild.”
The Sourdough fire, which has been burning in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area in the north Cascades since July 29, was 5% contained Saturday. The fire, which had spread to 1,890 acres, has so far incurred costs of about $16 million, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
These wildfires were also burning in Washington Saturday, according to the NIFC:
• Juniper Dunes, about 8 miles northeast of Pasco: 8.5 acres. Fire discovered Aug. 12. Containment and cost information not available.
• Ranch View, about 25 miles north of Spokane: 5 acres. Fire discovered Aug. 8. 0% contained. Costs estimated at $60,000.
• Dome Peak, about 50 miles northwest of Leavenworth: 30 acres. Fire discovered July 29. Containment and cost information not available.
• Chocolate Creek, about 45 miles northwest of Leavenworth: 15 acres. Fire discovered July 20. 0% contained. Costs estimated at $90,000.
• Fleming, about 13 miles southeast of Spokane: 7 acres. Fire discovered Aug. 8. Containment and cost information not available.
• Margarita, about 18 miles north of Ocean Shores, 61 acres. Fire discovered Aug. 2. 100% contained. Costs estimated at $2.5 million.
• Airplane Lake, about 50 miles northwest of Chelan: 100 acres. Fire discovered July 7. 0% contained. Costs estimated at $50,000.
• Eagle Bluff, on the Canadian border outside Oroville: 16,428 acres. 90% contained. Costs estimated at $9.9 million.
• Salmo Basin, on the Canadian border 55 miles north of Newport: 70 acres. Fire discovered July 30. Containment information not available. Costs estimated at $500,000.
• West Anderson, about 1 mile northeast of Cheney: 35 acres. Fire discovered Aug. 2. 80% contained. Costs estimated at $379,864.
• West Hallett, about 2 miles west of Spokane: 126 acres. Fire discovered July 31. 99% contained. Costs estimated at $1.68 million.
• Wawawai, about 5 miles west of Pullman: 526 acres. 99% contained. Fire discovered July 24. Costs estimated at $357,253.
• Newell Road, about 17 miles east of Goldendale: 60,551 acres. Fire discovered July 21. 100% contained. Costs estimated at $9.9 million.
• Consalus, about 20 miles north of Newport: 475 acres. Fire discovered June 30. 80% contained. Costs estimated at $10 million.
Joel Martin may be reached at jmartin@columbiabasinherald.com.