Friday, December 05, 2025
30.0°F

FIRE REPORT: Oct. 3, 2025

NANCE BESTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 months AGO
by NANCE BESTON
Staff Writer | October 3, 2025 12:15 AM

MOSES LAKE — Three larger fires were mostly contained this week with no further updates to be provided. There are around 132,000 acres actively burning in Washington as of Thursday afternoon, around 35,000 fewer than Monday. 

The Rattlesnake Fire, formerly the third-largest fire in the state at around 22,000 acres, is now 96% contained. 

The Crown Creek Fire, scorching around 14,000 acres, is now 93% contained. The Katy Creek Fire, burning nearly 5,000 acres, is 98% contained.   

These fires were causing air quality concerns regionally. As the Columbia Basin goes into the work week, there are several cities where the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups Monday and Tuesday.  

Three largest fires:  

Lower Sugarloaf: 39,594 acres. 48% contained. Chelan County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning-caused. 

Labor Mountain: 37,239 acres. 7% contained. Kittitas County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning-caused 

Bear Gulch: 20,185 acres. 5% contained. Mason County. Started July 6. Human-caused. 

Other fires:  

Lynx Mountain: 9,201 acres. 63% contained. Ferry County. Started Sept. 2. Under investigation.  

Martin: 388 acres. 67% contained. Chelan County. Started Aug. 27. Under investigation.   

Perry: 1,772 acres. 61% contained. Whatcom County. Started Aug. 27. Under investigation.   

Pomas: 3,618 acres. 60% contained. Chelan County. Started June 13. Lightning-caused.    

Snow Peak: 1,147 acres. No containment. Stevens County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning caused.  

Tacoma Creek: 3,961 acres. 90% contained. Stevens and Pend Oreille counties. Started Sept. 1. Under investigation.   

Tunnel Creek: 581 acres. No containment. Jefferson County. Started Sept. 6. Unknown cause.  

Wildcat: 14,316 acres. 5% contained. Yakima County. Started Aug. 25. Under investigation.  

Air quality:   

To look at the current air quality in the area, visit AirNow.gov. Air quality labels are decided by the air quality index number. The Columbia Basin is starting to see an improvement in air quality with most areas having good or moderate air quality.  

Ephrata – Thursday: good. Friday: moderate. Saturday: moderate. Sunday: moderate. Monday: moderate.  

Moses Lake – Thursday: good. Friday: good. Saturday: good. Sunday: good. Monday: good.  

Othello – Thursday: good. Friday: good. Saturday: good. Sunday: good. Monday: good.  

Quincy – Thursday: good. Friday: moderate. Saturday: moderate. Sunday: moderate. Monday: moderate.  

Ritzville – Thursday: good. Friday: good. Saturday: good. Sunday: good. Monday: good.  


ARTICLES BY NANCE BESTON

Mayor Peter Sharp takes oath of office
December 5, 2025 1:15 a.m.

Mayor Peter Sharp takes oath of office

SOAP LAKE – Grant County Commissioner Kevin Burgess adminstered the oath of office to Mayor Peter Sharp Wednesday. Sharp was previously appointed to this role at the Sept. 18, 2024, council meeting after his predecessor Allen DuPay quit during the Aug. 7, 2024, meeting.

Newhouse, colleagues introduce infrastructure bill
December 4, 2025 4:55 p.m.

Newhouse, colleagues introduce infrastructure bill

WASHINGTON D.C. — On November 21, 2025, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers introduced the Urban Canal Modernization Act, HR 6279, aimed at addressing the deteriorating condition of urban canal infrastructure across the country. This legislation, sponsored by Representatives Dan Newhouse, R-WA; Mike Simpson, R-ID; Adam Gray, D-CA; and Russ Fulcher, R-ID focuses on providing federal support for the extraordinary operation and maintenance of urban canals deemed to be at significant risk of failure. “As communities in Grant County and elsewhere face serious risks from aging canal systems, it is imperative that we act now to ensure vital water infrastructure is maintained and upgraded,” Newhouse wrote in a statement. “The Bureau of Reclamation’s canals are in dire need of repairs, and the surrounding communities who rely on them would be at risk if they were to fail. This legislation provides local authorities with additional resources to manage these critical pieces of infrastructure while protecting the people and property around canals of concern.”

Ephrata water tower waiting for final tests
December 3, 2025 6:30 p.m.

Ephrata water tower waiting for final tests

EPHRATA — The City of Ephrata is still waiting for the final testing to come back to the water tower. The city had originally hoped the tower would be connected to the water system by Thanksgiving; however, the intensive water testing is taking longer than anticipated.