Fire report for June 28, 2023
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 6 months AGO
Grant County Fire District 7 recently converted this military vehicle to a brush engine, according to a statement from the fire district. The truck was called into service the same day.
COURTESY PHOTO/GCFD 7
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. | June 28, 2023 1:00 AM
WENATCHEE — State fire assistance has been mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan in support of local firefighters working to contain the Methow Fire just outside Wenatchee, according to a statement from the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Methow Fire started Tuesday at approximately 1:25 p.m., according to the statement. This fire was estimated at 50 acres and growing as of 5 p.m. Tuesday. It is burning in shrub-streppe and is threatening homes and natural resources, the statement said. Level 2 evacuations are in effect at this time and the fire cause is currently under investigation, according to the statement.
These wildfires were also burning in Washington as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Satellite and Product Operations:
• Drumheller, between Moses Lake and Ephrata: 929 acres. Fire started June 14. 25% contained.
• Oasis, about seven miles west of Touchet: 4,250 acres. Fire started June 19. 100% contained.
• South Satus, about 14 miles southeast of Toppenish: 997 acres. Fire started June 13. 100% contained.
• Hansen Road, about one mile south of Benton City: 6,289 acres. Fire started June 13. 100% contained.
• Ruppert Road, about three miles north of Benton City: 155 acres. Fire started June 13. 100% contained.
• Hover Park, three miles southeast of Finley: 528 acres. Fire started June 13. 100% contained.
• Sutherland, about 10 miles west of Port Angeles: 108 acres. Fire started June 17. 90% contained.
• Old Naches, about one mile southeast of Naches: 645 acres. Fire started June 7. 0% contained.
• Pete’s Creek, nine miles northwest of Pateros: 6 acres. Fire started June 25. Containment information not available.
• Marietta, Spokane Valley: 2 acres. Fire started June 27. Containment information not available.
• Catherine Creek, 10 miles northwest of Curlew: 1 acre. Fire started June 27. Containment information not available.
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Chess tournament sharpens wits in Ephrata
Annual strategic competition set for February 1
EPHRATA — A hundred young players will go head-to-head – and brain-to-brain – at the Waypoint Foundation Scholastic Chess Tournament in Ephrata Feb. 1. This is the 18th year the tournament has been held at Parkway Elementary School. said Troy Pugh, who created and manages the tournament with his brother Roger Pugh. This year, Pugh said, the foundation has added online registration for the first time. There were 89 players registered Tuesday morning, he said, which is the fastest it’s ever filled up. “Usually, we don’t get to 89 until the week of the event,” he said.
Royal City honors retiring public works director
ROYAL CITY — The City of Royal City said goodbye to longtime Public Works Director John Lasen with a small retirement party Friday at City Hall. “For years and years, it seemed like Royal City was the same forever and ever,” Royal City Mayor Michael Christensen said at the celebration. “But in these last 10 years in particular, we've seen some considerable change, and John has been a significant part of that, helping see the vision and oversee some of the big projects that we've done.”
Lavender donation honors late food bank director
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Food Bank received a different kind of donation Thursday. Joe Downs, owner of Lavender Ranch near Quincy, donated 70 bundles of lavender to Community Services of Moses Lake in memory of Peny Archer, the food bank’s director who passed away earlier this month. Each bundle has a photo of Archer on it.