FIRE REPORT: Blazes grow in WA over the weekend as red flag warnings go out
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 11 months AGO
Firefighter/EMT Blake Fuller, who was hired Aug. 12, is the newest member of Grant County Fire District 8, according to an announcement from the district. Fuller joined an Explorer post when he was 18 and went through his first fire academy at 19, the district wrote. He volunteered with GCFD 3 for a year and spent three years with an ambulance company on the west side before moving to Quincy in 2022.
COURTESY PHOTO/GCFD 8
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 18, 2023 5:10 PM
MOSES LAKE — The wildfires in Olympic National Park grew over the weekend, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, while red flag warnings due to low humidity and relatively high winds held over much of the state throughout the weekend.
The Low Divide fire, which was at 92 acres Saturday, was up to 294 Monday. It was uncontained and costs were estimated at $125,000. Just a few miles away, the Martin Lake fire more than tripled, from 30 acres Saturday to 93 on Monday, with 0% containment and costs estimated at $30,000. The Delabarre fire, which was discovered Sept. 1, showed a considerable increase at 1,500 acres Saturday. It was uncontained and costs were estimated at $50,000. The Diamond Mountain and Eagle Point fires held steady, at 30 and 128 acres respectively. All the Olympic National Park fires were triggered by lightning.
The Cowlitz Complex was 34% contained Monday with a total of 695 acres and 342 personnel, according to the U.S. Forest Service. On Sunday, firefighters worked around the 22-acre Mission fire to contain the fire from a spillover that occurred Saturday. There was slight growth in the Grassy Mountain Fire but it still poses no threat to nearby communities. Crews will continue to monitor and patrol the Mission and other smaller fires in the forthcoming days.
These fires were also burning Monday, according to data from the NIFC:
Black Hills: Discovered Sept. 16, this fire about 11 miles southwest of Olympia was at 25 acres Monday. Cost and containment information was not available.
Tenas Creek: This fire, in the North Cascades about 40 miles east of Mount Vernon, was discovered Sept. 15 and was up to 38 acres Monday. Cost and containment information was not available.
Blue Lake: This blaze about 53 miles west of Omak was 80% contained Monday at 1,074 acres. Costs were estimated at $5.75 million. It was discovered July 29.
Roza Slope: This fire about 8 miles north of Selah was 100% contained at 217 acres Monday. Costs were estimated at $1.5 million. It was discovered Sept. 12.
South Slope: Discovered Sept. 12 about 6 miles north of Selah, this fire was 100% contained at 341 acres Monday. Costs were estimated at $1.5 million.
Eagle Bluff: This fire, southwest of Oroville near the Canadian border, has burned 16,428 acres. The fire has cost about $9.9 million and was fully contained Monday. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Sourdough: Burning in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area in the north Cascades since July 29, it was 25% contained Monday at 6,369 acres. Costs are estimated at $24 million.
Oregon Road: This fire discovered Aug. 18 about 31 miles north of Spokane was still 99% contained at 10,817 acres Monday. Costs are estimated at $14.2 million.
Salmo Basin: This fire, on the Canadian border 55 miles north of Newport, remained at 75 acres Monday. The blaze was discovered July 30. Containment information was not available. Costs are estimated at $500,000.
Dome Peak: This fire, located northeast of the Mt. Baker National Forest, was still uncontained as of Monday and was holding steady at 1,076 acres. The fire was reported July 29. Costs were estimated at $100,000.
Lake Whatcom: Discovered Aug. 28 about 9 miles southeast of Bellingham, this fire was 100% contained at 40 acres Monday. 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 Monday. It was uncontained and costs were estimated at $90,000.
Airplane Lake: This blaze about 53 miles northwest of Wenatchee remained at 5,160 acres Monday and costs are estimated at $500,000. It is reported as uncontained and no cause has been identified. It was discovered July 7.
Chocolate Creek: This blaze about 58 miles northwest of Wenatchee was still uncontained Monday 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 Monday. The fire was determined to be caused by human activity and costs were estimated at $10.4 million.
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 Monday. 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.