Wildfire update for June 30, 2023
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 4 months AGO
The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch that includes Grant and Adams counties.
SOURCE: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
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 30, 2023 1:30 AM
MOSES LAKE — The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties, according to an announcement from the NWS. The warning is in effect from Saturday morning through Saturday evening.
A fire weather watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur, the statement said.
The NWS predicted gusty west winds and dry conditions for the day. West winds will increase across the Waterville Plateau and down the Okanogan Friday night into Saturday, and peak Saturday afternoon and evening. Strengthening high pressure will result in dry conditions through Saturday night. Elevated fire weather conditions may lead to rapid spread of new fires, the announcement added.
The Roza Creek wildfire, located above the Yakima River Canyon between Yakima and Ellensburg, has currently burned about 486 acres, according to a statement from the Southeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team. At one point the units on scene had the fire about 70% contained, when a weather event came through and wind carried embers over the fire lines, the statement said. The fire’s status is now uncontained.
These wildfires were also burning in Washington as of Thursday 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.
• South Satus, about 14 miles southeast of Toppenish: 997 acres. Fire discovered June 13.
• Hansen Road, about one mile south of Benton City: 6,289 acres. Fire discovered June 13.
• Ruppert Road, about three miles north of Benton City: 155 acres. Fire discovered June 13.
• Hover Park, three miles southeast of Finley: 528 acres. Fire discovered June 13.
• Methow, south end of Wenatchee: 150 acres. Fire discovered June 27.
• Pete’s Creek, nine miles northwest of Pateros: 6.5 acres. Fire discovered June 25.
• Catherine Creek, 10 miles northwest of Curlew: 1 acre. Fire discovered June 27.
• Charles, about 17 miles northwest of Spokane: 12.3 acres. Fire discovered June 29.
• Beehive, about 15 miles northeast of Omak: 27 acres. Fire discovered June 28.