Update 2 – July 6, 2019 – Saturday
The MARTINDALE FIRE IC has changed its name to the COLUMBIA PLATEAU FIRE. It is located in Martindale in Franklin County, Washington State.
The fire has now burned up to 40 acres of heavy sage.
Resources include: Batt-603, Engines 341, 373 and BLM Engine 672.
No word on the cause has been released.
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 1725 hours PDT
Update 1 – July 6, 2019 – Saturday
A wildfire has ignited from an unknown cause and Dispatchers through the Central Washington Interagency Communications Center has sent fire assets and resources out at 1436 hours PDT.
The fire named the MARTINDALE FIRE is burning in Martindale in Franklin County Fire District #3’s area. It has already burned 20 acres of heavy sage.
Resources include: BLM Engines 341 and 6695 attached to this incident.
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 1520 hours PDT
Update 1 – July 6, 2019 – Saturday
WA DNR fire assets and personnel have been dispatched to the UPPER JOE FIRE located on Grade Creek in Chelan County, Washington at around 1342 hours PDT.
The fire has destroyed about 5 acres of grass and brush.
Resources include: Crews 52 and 74; Engines 321 and 353. H-1MR, SE units: 1225, 146 and Escobar.
No word on the cause.
No reports of injuries or deaths to firefighters or civilians have been made.
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 1515 PDT
UPDATE 5 – July 1, 2019 – Monday
The Wildhorse Fire is not to be confused with the State of Nevada’s June 20th wildfire named the same time.
This fire is located off of I-90 at the Wild Horse Monument, a few miles from Vantage, Washington. This was reported by multiple callers from a small area at the bottom of the hillside and running uphill. The fire began as a small few acres as reported by the first due crews to exploding to a 200 acre-incident.
About two hours ago, WA DNR sent some personnel and resources to assist as mutual aid in Grant County. The fire was said to be burning in sage and grass. Conditions have been dry and weather has been somewhat unfavorable, making it right for fire season to make its move and more of a challenge to Fire Officials often promotion Prevention messages to the public.
Those assigned to this wildfire incident were WA DNR CREW 33, 6201 and a BLM engine #6695, assisted by multiple Fire Districts.
Thank you for joining us this evening and following us. Please be sure to tell your friends, fellow Firefighters and 1st Responders who we are and what we are all about. You can also find us on our Twitter channel @nwfireblog for future live fire and disaster news unfolding in the Northwest, the United States and around the Globe. – Ed.
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 2200 hours PDT
UPDATE 4 – July 1, 2019 – Monday
The I-90 IC called for the County Fire Marshal to respond to the Wild Horse Monument around 2055 hours PDT. His ETA was said to be two hours out.
We are signing off this incident for the night and will provide an update on Tuesday, July 2nd when more information is available.
Thank you for joining us this evening and following us. Please be sure to tell your friends, fellow Firefighters and 1st Responders who we are and what we are all about. You can also find us on our Twitter channel @nwfireblog for future live fire and disaster news unfolding in the Northwest, the United States and around the Globe. – Ed.
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 2100 hours PDT
UPDATE 3 – July 1, 2019 – Monday
A dozer team is meeting up with additional resources and heading up Silica road, an area that has seen a lot of wildfires over the last few years.
Some of the wildfires that have occurred in the area, you may recognize:
6/3/2019 | 243 Fire | Fire burned nearly 19,000 of acres (at about 18,774 acres) at one of the news report and caused evacuations during the incident.
7/10/2018 | Ryegrass Coulee Fire | burned near Vantage.
6/29/2015 | A fire burned near the intersection of I-90 and Silica Road, near Vantage.
Firefighters will be no doubt being driving and climbing up the rough path to the monument, which is about a-quarter-of-a-mile of a way up steep hillsides.
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 2030 hours PDT
UPDATE 1 – July 1, 2019 – Monday
A new fire has sparked in Grant County, but this time is located on I-90 at Milepost 140 in Quincy, Washington.
Multiple callers are reporting the fire is the size of 100′ x 100′ and burning uphill.
Some fire crews are being diverted from the 10-acre #CliffFire that was burning off of SR 243 and milepost 25 in the Beverly area, which has since been knocked down.
Current fire weather conditions are 82*F temps, with partially cloudy skies, a RH of 24-percent and winds at 14 miles-per-hour.
This is an approximately five-acre fire, burning uphill and named the #I90Fire. Multiple fire personnel and assets on-scene. A helicopter has been requested for fire suppression efforts.
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 1925 hours PDT
WASHINGTON STATE
UPDATE 2
Monday, June 24, 2019
Photo Courtesy: Grant County Sheriff Office on behalf of NOAA
Incident Summary | A wildfire started on Sunday, June 23 , 2019, around 1547 hours PDT, which is located about 4.7 miles north of Elmer City, Washington State from an unknown cause. Some residents and eyewitnesses have their own speculations but the cause is still being investigated by the Fire Service and they have not released any type of preliminary at the time of this post.
FIRE FACT | 96 new wildfires were reported as of Sunday, June 23, 2019
Size, Containment Status | The fire has destroyed 3,500 acres of grass, sage and bitter brush. Fire crews have reached a 60% containment status.
FIRE FACT | 5 wildland fire suppression crews have been deployed to Alberta, CAN.
Resources | There are still 100 personnel assigned to this incident along with 3-20 person crews, 7 engines, 3 dozers and 2 Type 2 Tenders. Command was turned over by the Mt. Tolman Fire Center over to the NW IMT Team 3 at 1800 hours this evening.
Air resources included: 5 fire bosses, 2 air attacks, 2 Type 2 Helicopters.
During the initial fire attack, Firefighters from the Colville Indian Reservation, WA DNR and other mutual aid resources converged upon the area to fight the initial five-acre-fire-turned-wildfire. They would deploy every available resource from hand crews, water tenders, air tankers, dozers and a large number of personnel and assets with them and quickly bringing the wildfire to a halt. It was a difficult wind-driven fire but they worked quickly, efficiently and effectively.
FIRE FACT | 2 new large wildfires have started, but 4 contained.
Evacuations | All Level 3 evacuation orders in the Rebecca Lake HUD and Buffalo Lake areas have been lifted.
Road Closures | None.
Updates | This will be our last and final update, unless more information is received or the fire activity increases.
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 1900 hours PDT
WASHINGTON STATE
UPDATE 1
Sunday, June 23, 2019
Incident Summary | A wildfire has ignited this Sunday afternoon at a meat smoker near a garage of a structure in the 3500 block of Hwy 155 north in between Belvedere and Elmer City, Washington. (unconfirmed by our verified fire sources pf the exact cause but info being reported by a 3rd party on a fire related site).
The fire is burning on the Colville Indian Reservation and fire personnel along with assets are working to stop the fire from damaging or destroying any of their structures.
GOES-17 satellite data showing a fire between Elmer City and Nespelem, Washington. | Credit: NWS – Spokane
Resources | Resources include 2 helicopters from Omak and Colville (H340, 344), WA DNR, Colville Fire, Redding air tanker (on a load and return) and hand crews. Various fire districts.
Evacuations | Those in the Rebecca Lake community are under evacuation.
Fire History | There have been a rash of fires that have hit the Elmer City area. Here is a timeline of some of those previous fires.
October 3, 2018: A fire started inside the Grandview Trailer Park just outside of Elmer City. 4 mobile homes are destroyed. 2 are damaged. Residents are devastated, including one local artist who loses his art studio. Fire resources who responded were: Elmer City, Colville Confederated Tribes, U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, Mount Tolman Fire Center, Coulee Dam, Grand Coulee, Electric City and Douglas County responded.
Photo Credit: Okanogan County Emergency Management Agency.
Sept. 11, 2016: SR 155 @ SR 174 is closed due to a 2nd fire. Parts of Grand Coulee communities are at a Level 2 evacuation. Fire heads down towards the Elmer City Post Office in this photo.
Photo Credit: Grant County Sheriff Office.
August 16, 2012: An Okanogan County sheriff deputy trades his badge to help with firefighting.
Current Social Media Reports | Here are some eyewitness accounts and what others are saying across all Social Media Channels:
“Can see smoke 1 mile N of the Grand Coulee Dam.”
“Fire started downhill near the river and worked its way east/southeast and now due east. “
“Fire may have started behind a fruit stand on Hwy 155 and north of Peter Dan Road.”
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated 2045 hours PDT
NORTHEAST WASHINGTON INTERAGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER (WA)
Since June 18, 2019, fire call reports have been pouring into dispatchers with several of them taking precious firefighting resources away to deal with illegal burn incidents. By all means, if you think you see a wildfire – please report it.
Those who choose to burn during a burn ban is risking a lot from your fire potentially escaping its containment to spreading to nearby brush, grass, lands, to structures to infrastructure. The Fire Service is asking those to be careful.
Check with your county for burn bans and if 4th of July fireworks bans are in place. There may be some exception to the rules but checking with your County or City will tell you what is allowed and what is not. It is better to be safe than sorry for the danger that your burn pile could escape its containment. Some times even embers from your fire can spread through the air and catching nearby brush, grass or other structures on fire. Please…. heed any and all warnings, alerts and bans.
Here is the fire activity for the last several days and most of the calls firefighters are being dispatched to are illegal burn calls. Please listen to any and all warnings, alerts and bans.
Ferry County
6/18/2019 – 0743 hours PDT – Arborview Road. Brush. Contained – 0800 hours. Controlled – 0825 hours. Out – 0830 hours. 0.01 acres.
Okanogan County
Pend Oreille County
6/18/2019 – 1355 hours – Davis Lake. – Illegal burn, no escape.
6/21/2019 – 1105 hours – Le Clerc Road North – Illegal burn, no escape.
Spokane County
6/18/2019 – 0840 hours – E Oregon Rd, Elk. – Illegal burn, no escape.
6/18/2019 – 0848 hours – Military Cemetery. #TrailsFire. Grass, brush, light timber. Contained – 6/18/2019 @ 1010 hours. Under control – 6/18/2019 @ 1200 hours. Out – 6/21/2019 at 1005 hours. .01 acres.
6/18/2019 – 1119 hours – Dunn Road – #DunnFire. Grass, brush, reproduction, light timber – Contained 6/18/2019 1530 hours. Controlled at 1903 hours. 3.1 acres.
6/18/2019 – 1632 hours – #MontgomeryGroveFire. Grass, brush, slash. IC AR 444. Contained 6/18/2019 1815 hours. Controlled 6/18/2019 1900 hours. Out 6/21/2019 1032 hours. 0.01 acres.
6/19/2019 – 1233 hours – Fruithill Road – No fire found.
6/21/2019 – 1041 hours – Ritchy Road. #KoskiFire. Grass, brush, light timber. IC AR 443 arrived 6/21/2019 @ 1515 hours. Controlled 1300 hours. Controlled 1700 horus. 0.7 ares. In patrol status.
6/21/2019 – 1453 hours – Milan – No fire found.
Stevens County
6/19/2019 – 0556 hours – Newhouse Lane – Seeing smoke from another wildfire.
6/19/2019 – 0556 hours – Finley Gulch. #CoonradFire. Brush, slash, reproduction, timber. Contained 6/19/2019 0815 hours. Controlled 6/19/2019 0945 hours. 0.13 acres.
06/19/2019 – 0856 hours – Chamokane Drive at Long Lake Dam – Illegal burn, no escape.
6/21/2019 – 0811 hours – Spanish Prairie Road – Illegal burn. No escape.
6/21/2019 – 1319 hours – Gold Creek Loop Road – Illegal burn. No escape.
(c) 2019 Nw Fire Blog – Updated 6/22/2019 @ 00:25 hours PDT
