Washington fire update for July 6
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 5 months AGO
A home in the Othello area was destroyed early Wednesday morning by a fire resulting from fireworks that had been disposed of improperly, according to Adams county Fire District No. 5.
COURTESY PHOTO/ADAMS OUNTY FIRE DISTRICT NO. 5
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. | July 5, 2023 5:48 PM
OTHELLO — An Othello-area home was completely destroyed by fire in the early hours of Wednesday morning, according to a statement from Adams County Fire District 5. Two vehicles were also destroyed, but all occupants got out of the house safely. The investigation determined that the cause of the fire was fireworks that had been collected and placed in a trash can.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the McEwan Fire currently burning about three miles northeast of Shelton, according to a FEMA statement.
At the time of the state’s request, the wildfire threatened homes in and around the community of Shelton. The fire also threatened highways, local ancillary roads, Mason County PUD infrastructure, Bonneville Power Administration transmission lines, Burlington-Santa Fe rail lines, communications towers, parks and hiking trails, as well as numerous businesses contributing to the manufacturing, mining and agricultural industries, according to the statement. The fire, which was discovered Tuesday, had burned 250 acres as of Wednesday afternoon.
The Roza Creek wildfire, located above the Yakima River Canyon between Yakima and Ellensburg, had burned about 486 acres as of Friday afternoon, according to a statement from the Southeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team. The fire is currently 70% contained and no structures are threatened.
These wildfires were also burning in Washington as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Interagency Fire Center and the NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations:
• Oasis, about seven miles west of Touchet: 4,250 acres. Fire discovered June 19. 100% contained.
• Hansen Road, about one mile south of Benton City: 6,289 acres. Fire discovered June 13. 100% contained.
• Methow, south end of Wenatchee: 150 acres. Fire discovered June 27. Containment information not available.
• Charles, about 17 miles northwest of Spokane: 12.3 acres. Fire discovered June 29. Containment information not available.
• Beehive, about 15 miles northeast of Omak: 27 acres. Fire discovered June 28. Containment information not available.
• Gold Mountain Ridge, about 12 miles northeast of Keller: 30 acres. Fire discovered June 29. 60% contained.
• Little River Road, about five miles south of Port Angeles: 1 acre. Fire discovered July 5. Containment information not available.
• Bogachiel, about two miles west of Forks: 5 acres. Fire discovered July 4. Containment information not available.
• Bozy Creek, about seven miles east of Elma: 4 acres. Fire discovered July 5. Containment information not available.
• Ike, just north of Mossyrock: 2 acres. Fire discovered July 2. Containment information not available.
• Tunnel Five, about four miles west of White Salmon: 546 acres. Fire discovered July 2. 5% containment.
• Pine Spring, about 10 miles west of Cheney: 29.5 acres. Fire discovered July 2. Containment information not available.
• Selah Cliffs, about six miles northeast of Selah: 200 acres. Fire discovered July 5. Containment information not available.
Joel Martin may be reached at [email protected].
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
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MOSES LAKE — With Christmas just around the corner, lots of folks are using their fireplaces for warmth, roasting chestnuts or just a pleasant atmosphere. But before Santa pays your chimney a visit, you should make sure it’s in good working order. Chimney fires are responsible for more than three-fourths of residential building heating fires, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Regular inspections and cleaning are the best way to prevent that, said Michael Harper, known as The Chimney Guy. “If they’re using (the fireplace) aesthetically – date night, Christmas, New Year’s, show-off times, something in the background here and there, (they should) have it inspected once a year for peace of mind,” Harper said. “If they’re using it two to three days a week religiously through the winter months, they need to have it cleaned once a year.”