FIRE REPORT: Small fire near Vantage extinguished, Yakima River Canyon blazes grow quickly
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 11 months AGO
Smoke rises over the Grassy Mountain fire in the Cowlitz Complex Tuesday.
COURTESY PHOTO/U.S. FOREST SERVICE
A small wildfire ignited about 11 a.m. Monday just east of the Vantage Bridge. The fire reached about a third of an acre before being extinguished, according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.
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. | September 13, 2023 6:44 PM
VANTAGE – A small wildfire ignited about 11 a.m. Monday just east of the Vantage Bridge, according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. The fire, which was caused by a vehicle collision, reached about a third of an acre before being extinguished. No structures were in the area and there were no injuries.
Two wildfires are burning in the Yakima River canyon between Yakima and Ellensburg, according to the Bureau of Land Management.
The Roza Slope fire, estimated at 200 acres, started at about 12:11 p.m. 8 miles north of Selah, according to the Department of Natural Resources. About 10 minutes later, the South Slope fire was discovered a couple of miles south. It was estimated at 100 acres Tuesday but by Wednesday had grown to 400 acres as well. Both fires were uncontained Wednesday.
The 30-fire Cowlitz Complex in Gifford Pinchot National Forest between Mount Rainier and the Columbia River was 21% contained Wednesday at 672 acres, according to the National Forest Service. A little rain fell on the complex Tuesday, but not enough to make a significant difference. A total of 281 personnel were working on the fires. Costs were estimated at $10 million.
These fires were also burning Tuesday, according to data from the National Interagency Fire Center:
Low Divide: This fire in the Olympic National Forest was discovered Sept. 1 and was at 60 acres Wednesday. It was uncontained and costs were estimated at $125,000. The cause was determined to be natural.
Martin Lake: This fire in the Olympic National Forest was discovered Sept. 1 and was at 30 acres Wednesday. It was uncontained and costs were estimated at $50,000.
Eagle Point: Discovered Aug. 29 about 12 miles south of Port Angeles, this fire remained at 85 acres Wednesday. It was still uncontained and costs were estimated at $100,000.
Oregon Road: This fire discovered Aug. 18 about 31 miles north of Spokane was 99% contained at 10,817 acres Wednesday. Costs are estimated at $14.2 million.
Salmo Basin: This fire, on the Canadian border 55 miles north of Newport, stood at 75 acres Wednesday. The blaze was discovered July 30. Containment information was not available. Costs are estimated at $500,000.
Blue Lake: This blaze about 53 miles west of Omak was still 80% contained Wednesday at 1,075 acres. Costs were estimated at $5 million. It was discovered July 29.
Yellepit: This fire, discovered Sept. 1 about 14 miles southeast of Kennewick on the Columbia River, has burned 1,582 acres. It was 100% contained Wednesday and costs were estimated at $100,000.
Sourdough: Burning in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area in the north Cascades since July 29, it was still 30% contained Wednesday at 6,234 acres. Costs are estimated at $24 million.
Lake Whatcom: Discovered Aug. 28 about 9 miles southeast of Bellingham, this fire was 100% contained at 40 acres Wednesday. Costs were estimated at $850,000.
Kindy Creek: Discovered Aug. 18 in the mountains above Lake Chelan about 75 miles northwest of Wenatchee, this blaze was still at 197 acres Wednesday. It was was uncontained and costs were estimated at $90,000.
Airplane Lake: This blaze about 53 miles northwest of Wenatchee remained at 5,160 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.
Diamond Mountain: This fire about 25 miles south of Port Angeles was discovered Sept. 1 and was uncontained at 20 acres Wednesday. The cause was determined to be natural.
Chocolate Creek: This blaze about 58 miles northwest of Wenatchee was uncontained Wednesday at 15 acres. Costs were estimated at $90,000.
Gray: Discovered Aug. 18 about 17 miles west of Spokane, it was 99% contained at 10,085 acres Wednesday. The fire was determined to be caused by human activity and costs were estimated at $10.4 million.
Toothaker: 300 acres burned about 8 miles southeast of Kennewick. The fire was discovered Aug. 17. It was 100% contained Wednesday with costs estimated at $350,000.
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 was 100% contained Wednesday. 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 less than 1 acre.
Joel Martin may be reached by email at [email protected].
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Quincy National Night Out scales down
QUINCY — Quincy’s National Night Out was more compact this year, which worked out well, said QPD Sgt. Joe Westby, who’s in charge of event planning for the Quincy Police Department. “National Night Out is a big event, and the fact that we’re able to shrink it up is like a breath of fresh air,” Westby said. “If you're always doing the same thing, it's kind of nice to switch things up and see how it works.” National Night Out took place Thursday on the block of C Street next to the police station, a shift from previous years when it was held at Lauzier Park. The smaller space meant fewer emergency vehicles for children to explore, but it also meant less walking for attendees. Grant County Fire District 5 brought a fire truck, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office had a patrol boat. Renew, the Grant County behavioral health agency, had a booth and so did Quincy Partnership for Youth. Veterans Operation Creation sang the national anthem, and the Quincy Animal Shelter brought kittens that piled over each other making friends with passersby. As before, the QPD served grilled hot dogs.
Quincy Police retirements leave big shoes to fill
QUINCY — There are some big shoes to fill at the Quincy Police Department. “We’re losing 48 years of experience between them,” Quincy Police Chief Ryan Green said at the retirement party for Capt. Jorge Trujillo and Det. Damon Powell Thursday. Trujillo, who grew up in Sunnyside, has been with QPD for 19 years, he said, coming on as a patrol officer fresh out of the military. From there he served as a field training officer, a detective and finally captain. “I consider him my left-hand man,” Green said. “He runs the operations side of the house … He knows the agency very well, and he knows the community.” Trujillo has some projects around the house to tackle now that he’s retired, he said.
Big fun on a small scale
Wheat Land Communities’ Fair opens Thursday
RITZVILLE — The Wheat Land Communities’ Fair isn’t as big or as flashy as some of the county fairs around central Washington, but the folks who keep it going like it just the way it is. “It’s somewhere you can go and get an old-time traditional feeling, and you’re comfortable letting your kids roam the grounds and experience all that it has to offer,” said Board Member Lori Williams. “It’s more of a feeling than (one) specific thing,” The fair starts Thursday in Ritzville and runs through Sunday. Starting Friday, the 56th Ritzville Rodeo will take place alongside the fair at the rodeo grounds. This year the entertainment budget was expanded, Williams said, to be able to offer more fun that’s covered by the cost of admission. For the kids, there’s face painting, balloon art, Lego crafts, races, contests and games. Children can also ride on a little train towed around the fairgrounds behind a tractor.