Multiple E. Washington towns threatened by fires
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 7 months AGO
A controlled burn in a field sends a plume of smoke up east of Othello Saturday. While this fire didn’t harm anyone, a fire near Spokane Monday afternoon sparked an evacuation and another fire near Oroville is causing concern for residents.
IAN BIVONA/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
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 31, 2023 5:26 PM
SPOKANE — The Red Cross has set up a shelter for those evacuated from the West Hallett fire, according to an announcement from the organization. The fire, located on a hill above Spokane-Cheney Road a few miles southwest of Spokane, was discovered about 2 p.m. Monday and by 4:30 was up to 200 acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
The Eagle Bluff fire in Okanogan County at the Canadian border is looming close to the town of Oroville, according to a statement from the Northeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team. Four structures had been lost as of Monday morning and the fire, which was discovered Saturday afternoon, had swelled to 10,000 acres, according to the statement. The fire straddled the border and was 0% contained Monday, according to the statement.
These wildfires were also burning in Washington Monday, according to the NIFC:
• Austin Road, 6700 block of North Austin Road, Spokane: 1 acre. Fire discovered July 30. Containment and cost information not available.
• Pine Hollow, about 8 miles west of Yakima: 30 acres. Fire discovered July 31. Containment and cost information not available.
• NS-197, Vancouver: 1.5 acres. Fire discovered July 31. Containment and cost information not available.
• Katie Lane, about 6 miles southeast of Spokane: 12.4 acres. Fire discovered July 30. Containment and cost information not available.
• Bear Creek, about 13 miles southeast of Mount Vernon: 2.5 acres. Fire discovered July 29. Containment and cost information not available.
• NS-193, about 15 miles north of Vancouver: 1.5 acres. Fire discovered July 30. Containment and cost information not available.
• Sourdough, about 60 miles east of Bellingham: 25 acres. Fire discovered July 29. Containment and cost information not available.
• 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 $9,900,000.
• Consalus, about 20 miles north of Newport: 475 acres. Fire discovered June 30. 60% contained. Costs estimated at $10,000,000.
• Airplane Lake, about 50 miles northwest of Chelan: 25 acres. Fire discovered July 7. 0% contained. Costs estimated at $50,000.
• Badger, about 5 miles northeast of Wenatchee. 473 acres. Fire discovered July 20. 100% contained. Costs estimated at $820,000.
Joel Martin may be reached at [email protected].
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Space Burger booth open March 13-15
MOSES LAKE — Those who can’t wait for the Grant County Fair can get their Space Burger fix next weekend, according to an announcement from the Lioness Club of Moses Lake. The iconic Grant County sandwiches will be available at the Grant County Fairgrounds March 13-15, according to the announcement. There is no admission fee to get into the fairgrounds that weekend.
SENIOR EVENTS: March 2026
COLUMBIA BASIN — Plays, art shows, auctions and more await seniors in the Columbia Basin this month. Here are some opportunities to get out and about in March.
Valentine’s Day cards flood Brookdale Hearthstone with love
MOSES LAKE — Residents at Brookdale Hearthstone Assisted Living in Moses Lake got Valentine’s Day greetings from across the country last month. “I believe that the only states we have not received (cards from) yet are Vermont and Maine,” Lifestyle Director Imelda Broyles said Feb. 24. “We keep receiving new cards every single day. They have not stopped. My residents are in awe with every single one of the cards that we’ve been receiving.” The Hearts Across America project started as a way for children in school classrooms to exchange Valentine’s Day cards with classes in other states or even countries, but the idea has expanded to senior living facilities, according to the project’s social media.