One fire blazing in WA
STAFF REPORT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 4 months AGO
An air attack platform coordinates the multiple scoopers and helicopters working at the Pomas Fire near Entiat on June 14. The fire is currently sitting at around 910 acres.
COURTESY PHOTO/INCIWEB
An aerial view of the smoke and flames from the Pomas Fire on Monday. The fire has no updates on containment as of Thursday.
ENTIAT — The Pomas Fire, reported June 13, has rapidly grown to 910 acres in size as of Thursday. The fire is situated 36 miles northwest of Entiat, within the rugged Glacier Peak Wilderness, according to a report on Inciweb. There are no updates on containment as of Thursday.
“This is an extreme(ly) tough piece of ground with all the dead and down timber from the 2015 Wolverine Fire and 10 years’ worth of thick regeneration,” said Holly Krake in a statement from Entiat-Chelan District Ranger for the Forest Service. “The smokejumpers and pilots are doing everything they safely can to keep fire from becoming established on the east side of the Entiat River and down in Snowbrushy Creek.”
Firefighters are contending with challenging conditions as the blaze extends mid-slope at elevations exceeding 5,000 feet, fueled by heavy dead and down timber from the 2015 Wolverine Fire.
In an effort to contain the fire, aerial operations have dropped over 377,000 gallons of water.
Ground crews, including two hotshot teams and smokejumpers, are actively working to limit the fire's spread toward the Entiat River and ultimately protect nearby communities, according to a statement from Inciweb. The rugged terrain and persistent winds have complicated firefighting efforts.
As air quality concerns mount, smoke from the fire is visible in the Holden Village and Lake Chelan areas. In response to the situation, the Entiat Ranger District has instituted closures in the Glacier Peak Wilderness for public safety, impacting several trails and access points.
According to Airnow, the air quality in Grant County is good.
An aerial view of the smoke and flames from the Pomas Fire on Monday. The fire has no updates on containment as of Thursday.ARTICLES BY STAFF REPORT
Connell woman killed in Booker Road crash
CONNELL — Charges are pending against a Kennewick man following a collision about 12 miles south of Othello that killed a Connell woman and injured three other people Tuesday evening. A Washington State Patrol press memo said intoxicating substances were a factor. Jessica Zarate, 37, Connell, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash near the intersection of SR 17 and South Booker Road, the WSP memo said. She was driving south on Booker Road approaching the intersection when her car was hit by a pickup driven by John Reiss, 62, Kennewick. Edgar Garcia Quirino, 28, Othello, was driving north on SR 17 and ran into Zarate's car, the WSP memo said. The crash occurred at about 6:40 p.m.
Wheeler Road closed because of traffic collision
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Doors opening: The Currents will provide homeownership for more local workers
About 104 homes are planned at the former Atlas sawmill site
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