FIRE REPORT: Small fires hit locally, regional fires burn on
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 1 month AGO
Tuesday’s lightning storm ignited a small grass fire northwest of Ephrata.
COURTESY PHOTO/GCFD 13
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 30, 2023 5:59 PM
EPHRATA — A small grass fire near Road J and Road 16 Northwest flared up Tuesday, which was quickly put out by Grant County Fire District 13. Lightning struck a fence post, according to a statement from GCFD 13, then appeared to arc multiple times down the fence starting small spot fires.
The cause of a vehicle fire near Soap Lake Wednesday morning was a little less certain, according to a statement from Grant County Fire District 7. The blaze, which is under investigation, destroyed a van but firefighters knocked it down before it could reach a nearby garage. There were no injuries.
The rain Tuesday night helped bring the Oregon Road fire north of Spokane closer to a conclusion, according to a statement from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. That fire, which was discovered Aug. 18 and swelled to 10,817 acres, was 79% contained Wednesday and all evacuations were rescinded. The wet weather enabled the responding agencies to release air resources for fire suppression work elsewhere.
In the Cascades between Mount Rainier and the Columbia River, the cluster of 13 fires that sprang up last weekend have been collectively designated the Cowlitz Complex. These include Snagtooth, the largest, at 286 acres; Deer Creek, at 20 acres; South Fork, 15 acres; Jackpot Creek, 39 acres; Adams Fork, 11 acres; Bear Creek, 15 acres; and Carlton Ridge, 15.5 acres. The remaining fires in the complex totaled less than 20 acres between them Wednesday.
These fires were also burning or were recently extinguished Wednesday, according to data from the National Interagency Fire Center:
• Thompson: This fire about 30 miles northwest of Wenatchee was discovered Tuesday and had burned 20 acres Wednesday. The cause was reported to be natural.
• Lake Whatcom: Discovered Monday about 9 miles southeast of Bellingham, this fire had burned 20 acres Wednesday. It was uncontained and costs were estimated at $100,000.
• Airplane Lake: This blaze, about 50 miles northwest of Wenatchee, had grown to 3,709 acres Wednesday and costs are estimated at $500,000. It is reported as uncontained and no cause has been identified. It was discovered July 7.
• Kindy Creek: Discovered Aug. 18 in the mountains above Lake Chelan about 75 miles northwest of Wenatchee, this blaze had grown to 197 acres Wednesday. It was uncontained and costs were estimated at $90,000.
• Blue Lake: This blaze about 53 miles west of Omak had grown to 1,056 acres Wednesday and was 31% contained. Costs were estimated at $5 million. It was discovered July 29.
• Dome Peak: This fire, located northeast of Mt. Baker National Forest, was uncontained as of Wednesday and had spread to 1,076 acres. The fire was reported July 29. Costs were estimated at $100,000.
• Puyallup Point: Discovered Sunday about 8 miles west of Mount Rainier, it had spread to 10 acres Wednesday afternoon. Containment and cost information was not available.
• Gray: discovered Aug. 18 about 17 miles west of Spokane, it was 90% contained at 10,085 acres Tuesday. Costs were estimated at $8.4 million.
• Crater Creek: The fire, discovered July 22, crossed the Canadian border about 20 miles west of Oroville on Aug. 18. It has burned more than 108,726 acres, 5,055 of them in the U.S. It was 6% contained Wednesday.
• The Eagle Bluff fire, southwest of Oroville near the Canadian border, has burned 16,428 acres. The fire has cost about $9.9 million and was 90% contained Wednesday. The cause of the fire is unknown.
• OA Baseline: Discovered Aug. 18 about 7 miles west of Coulee City, this fire was at 978 acres Wednesday. Containment and cost information was not available.
• Chandler: This fire was discovered Aug. 25 about 15 miles west of Centralia. It had burned 50 acres Wednesday and cost and containment information was not available.
• Huckleberry Flats: This fire was discovered Aug. 19 about 41 miles east of Everett and was 100% contained at 134 acres Wednesday. It was human-caused and costs were estimated at $1 million.
• Winona: The fire, discovered Aug. 18, had burned 2,525 acres about 35 miles northwest of Pullman and was 90% contained Wednesday. Costs were estimated at $300,000.
• Toothaker: 188 acres burned about 8 miles southeast of Kennewick. The fire was discovered Aug. 17. It was 100% contained Wednesday and costs were estimated at $350,000.
• Sourdough: Burning in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area in the north Cascades since July 29, it was 30% contained Wednesday and had reached 6,234 acres. Costs are estimated at $24 million.
• Chocolate Creek: This blaze about 58 miles northwest of Wenatchee remained at 15 acres and was uncontained Wednesday. Costs were estimated at $90,000.
• Consalus Incident: Around 475 acres burned near the Idaho border due east of the Little Oreille National Wildlife Refuge. The fire has cost about $12 million and is 92% contained. Authorities report that the cause of the fire is natural.
Several other fires are reported throughout the state but have burned less than 10 acres and are not included in this report. The majority are reported as out and many are less than 1 acre.
Joel Martin may be reached by email at [email protected].
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Endless battle
Noxious Weed Control Board works to keep invasive plants under control
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BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 16-24
COLUMBIA BASIN — Whether you feel like shopping, crafting, learning or seeing a show, there’s something happening for you this week in the Basin. Oct. 16 ‘My Family (Mi Familia)’ screening Spanning three generations, “My Family (Mi Familia)” is a heartfelt drama that follows the Sánchez family as they build their lives in East Los Angeles. Through love, hardship, triumph, and sacrifice, the film explores the immigrant experience, the strength of family bonds, and the traditions that connect one generation to the next. Lowrider show and taco truck before the screening. Sponsored by Columbia Basin Allied Arts, EDUBS C/S and the Moses Lake Creative District. $12 per person. Doors open at 6 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. at the Moses Lake Civic Center Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. Tickets and info: www.cba-arts.org.
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