FIRE REPORT: Fire danger remains high, air quality good in the Basin
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 3 months AGO
The Blue Lake fire, shown here on Sept. 9, is expected to be fully contained this weekend.
COURTESY PHOTO/U.S. FOREST 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. | September 26, 2023 6:08 PM
MOSES LAKE — Due to rainy weather, the Blue Lake fire that has burned in the Cascades since July 29 was showing minimal fire activity Tuesday, according to an update from the U.S. Forest Service.
The fire, located about 53 miles west of Omak, is 80% contained at 1,074 acres, according to the USFS. It’s expected to be fully contained Sunday.
Fire danger remains high over most of central and eastern Washington, according to the DNR. Air quality was good for the Columbia Basin on Tuesday, with air quality indices ranging from eight at Wanapum Dam to 20 in Moses Lake. An AQI of 50 or less is considered good
These fires were burning Tuesday in Washington, according to data from the National Interagency Fire Center:
Airplane Lake: This blaze about 53 miles northwest of Wenatchee had grown to 6,956 acres Monday and costs are estimated at $500,000. It is still 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 Tuesday, and held steady at 38 acres. Costs were estimated at $90,000.
Cowlitz Complex: This 30-fire complex in the Cascades between Mount Rainier and the Columbia River was still 39% contained at 731 acres Tuesday. Estimated cost to date was $17.9 million.
Delabarre: This fire in Olympic National Park held steady at 3,658 acres Tuesday and was still uncontained. Estimated costs were $5 million. The fire was discovered Sept. 1.
Diamond Mountain: This fire about 25 miles south of Port Angeles was discovered Sept. 1 and remained at 30 acres Tuesday. The cause was determined to be natural. It was uncontained and costs were estimated at $10,000.
Dome Peak: This fire, located in the Mt. Baker National Forest, was still uncontained as of Tuesday and had burned 1,477 acres. The fire was reported July 29. Costs were estimated at $100,000.
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 Tuesday. The cause is unknown.
Eagle Point: Discovered Aug. 29 about 12 miles south of Port Angeles, this fire was still uncontained at 128 acres Tuesday. Costs were estimated at $100,000.
Evans Road: This fire discovered Sept. 22 held steady at 11 acres Tuesday about 26 miles northeast of Longview. Cost and containment information was not available.
Gray: Discovered Aug. 18 about 17 miles west of Spokane, it was still 99% contained at 10,085 acres Tuesday. The fire was determined to be caused by human activity and costs were estimated at $10.4 million.
Kindy Creek: Discovered Aug. 18 in the Cascades above Lake Chelan about 75 miles northwest of Wenatchee, this blaze remained at 210 acres Tuesday. It was uncontained and costs were estimated at $90,000.
Low Divide: This fire in the Olympic National Forest was discovered Sept. 1 and remained at 312 acres Tuesday. 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 still at 108 acres Tuesday. It was uncontained and costs were estimated at $50,000.
Sourdough: Burning in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area in the north Cascades since July 29, it was 25% contained Tuesday at 7,377 acres. Costs are estimated at $24 million.
Several other fires are reported throughout the state but have burned less than 10 acres and are not included in this report.
Joel Martin may be reached by email at jmartin@columbiabasinherald.com.
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.