FIRE REPORT: Wind whips up wildfire at Sun Lakes
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 2 months AGO
A late-night fire at Sun Lakes State Park burned a little over four acres on June 1. A burn ban went into effect on June 1 in Grant County. Area residents are encouraged to be alert and be cautious when enjoying the outdoors to avoid fires and avoid activities that may cause accidental wildfires such as use of fireworks. When driving with a trailer, make sure chains are set so they won’t drag and cause sparks.
COURTESY PHOTO/GCFD 5
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 10, 2024 1:30 AM
MOSES LAKE — Grant County Fire District 7 tackled a wildfire June 1 at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park, according to a statement from the fire district.
At about 11 p.m., firefighters responded to a report of a vegetation fire at the park, according to the statement. There they found about four acres spreading at a moderate rate of speed on a steep slope above the Vic Meyers Golf Course. A level 1 evacuation order (be ready to leave) was requested due to the winds, which were 25 miles per hour with gusts up to 35 mph.
Fire District 7 responded with two brush engines, two tactical water tenders, a structure engine and a chief officer, according to the statement. Assistance came from Grant County Emergency Management, Washington State Park rangers and State Parks brush engine. Crews remained on scene until 4 a.m.
Five prescribed burns were underway in Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The largest, the Rustlers Gulch Fire, had been burning since May 13 and covered 250 acres.
These other fires were burning in Washington Friday, according to the NCIF:
• The Stetson Fire, about 9 miles north of Yakima, was discovered May 19 and had burned 10 acres. The blaze was human-caused, and containment and cost information was not available.
• The River View Fire, discovered Friday morning about 3 miles north of Yakima, was at 10 acres Friday afternoon. The fire was caused by human activity. Information about containment and cost was not available.
• The Rest Haven Fire, just two miles southeast of the River View Fire by the eastern outskirts of Yakima, had burned 45 acres since its discovery May 30. The fire was human-caused and containment and cost information was not available.
A few 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.