FIRE REPORT: Evacuation notices issued for Electric City
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 3 months AGO
A wildfire near Sunbanks Resort in Electric City prompted evacuation noticed Tuesday afternoon.
GCSO PHOTO
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. | July 17, 2024 12:30 AM
ELECTRIC CITY — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation warnings Tuesday afternoon in Electric City due to a wildfire that broke out near Sunbanks Resort.
Level 2 warnings — be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice — were in place Tuesday afternoon for the area from Sunny Drive to Fifth Street North. Level 1 notices — get ready — were in place between State Route 155 and Western Avenue.
Updates are available at Facebook.com/GrantCoSheriff.
State fire assistance has been mobilized for the Wallace Walker Road Fire near Kahlotus, about 33 miles northeast of Pasco. The Wallace Walker Road Fire started Monday at approximately 2:19 p.m., according to a statement from the Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office. This fire was estimated at 361 acres and growing Tuesday afternoon. It is burning in grass and brush and is threatening crops, power infrastructure, and homes. No evacuations are in effect at this time. The fire cause is currently under investigation.
The Pioneer Fire, which has been growing steadily on the eastern shore of Lake Chelan since June 8, was up to 20,348 acres Tuesday and 14% contained. Fourteen crews, nine helicopters, 18 engines, 22 water tenders and 18 heavy equipment were engaged in suppressing the blaze. The small community of Stehekin is under a level 1, or “get ready” evacuation notice.
These other fires were also burning in Washington on Tuesday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center:
• The Arboretum Fire in Yakima, discovered July 10, held steady at 10 acres Tuesday. The cause was undetermined, and cost and containment information were not yet available.
• The Cougar Creek Fire, which was discovered Monday in the Blue Mountains about 50 miles east of Walla Walla, was at 621 acres Tuesday. Cost and containment information was not yet available.
• The Donkey Fire, discovered Friday about 30 miles northwest of Longview, was fully contained Tuesday at 38 acres. Cost of suppression was estimated at $986,450. The cause was listed as human activity.
• The Shoofly Fire in the Cascades about 45 miles northwest of Wenatchee was 56% contained Tuesday at 104 acres. Acres. The fire has been burning since July 8. Cost of suppressing the blaze was calculated at $10 million.
Other fires reported throughout the state have burned less than 10 acres and are not included in this report. The majority are less than 1 acre.
Air quality was moderate Tuesday for the entire Columbia Basin, according to the website AirNow, which is operated by a consortium of government agencies.
Joel Martin may be reached by email at [email protected].
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Endless battle
Noxious Weed Control Board works to keep invasive plants under control
MOSES LAKE — Some of the nastiest plants in Grant County were the topic of a class led by Jay Johnson, a consultant with the Grant County Noxious Weed Control Board, Tuesday. The Noxious Weed Control Board, as its name would suggest, is tasked with keeping weeds under control in Grant County. That’s not a small job; the board’s website lists 129 species of noxious weeds that are found around Grant County. A noxious weed is defined as an invasive, non-native plant that threatens agricultural crops, local ecosystems or fish and wildlife habitat, according to the Noxious Weed Control Board. Washington state law requires that these weeds be identified and their spread kept to a minimum, if not completely eradicated. “We’re one of those agencies a lot of people don’t really understand,” Johnson said. “We’re a county office and … our funding is tax-based assessment. When you get your tax bill and you look down at all the expenses that you pay for, there we are.”
BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 16-24
COLUMBIA BASIN — Whether you feel like shopping, crafting, learning or seeing a show, there’s something happening for you this week in the Basin. Oct. 16 ‘My Family (Mi Familia)’ screening Spanning three generations, “My Family (Mi Familia)” is a heartfelt drama that follows the Sánchez family as they build their lives in East Los Angeles. Through love, hardship, triumph, and sacrifice, the film explores the immigrant experience, the strength of family bonds, and the traditions that connect one generation to the next. Lowrider show and taco truck before the screening. Sponsored by Columbia Basin Allied Arts, EDUBS C/S and the Moses Lake Creative District. $12 per person. Doors open at 6 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. at the Moses Lake Civic Center Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. Tickets and info: www.cba-arts.org.
Moses Lake author encourages women to look beyond church culture norms
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