SPOKANE — More than 2,600 acres went up in flames in recent days and firefighters rushed to extinguish a number of wildfires across Washington , including several near Spokane.
The Moran Creek Fire south of Colville broke out Thursday and burned 61 acres. It is now 99% contained, and out-of-area crews helping fight the fire have returned home, with authority turned over to local fire crews, according to an update by the incident commander. Officials said smoke would still be seen in the coming days from the burned area.
Five outbuildings were damaged, but no homes were destroyed.
The Pine Springs Fire, southwest of Cheney, burned nearly 30 acres before being contained and mopped up Monday by Spokane Fire District 3, said Guy Gifford, assistant division manager for community resiliency at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
A 12-acre fire near Medical Lake that began Saturday prompted Level 1 evacuation notices for nearby residents, warning them to be alert for possible mandatory evacuations.
A large new fire broke out in Benton County on Monday afternoon and was 1,300 acres by Monday evening, officials said. The OIE Fire started around 1:15 p.m. near Benton City, and resources from around the state were being dispatched to help within several hours.
A 717-acre fire in Roza Creek in Kittitas County has been 75% contained, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. Officials said summer heat made extinguishing the fire difficult.
Sunday’s Tunnel 5 fire in Skamania County quickly ballooned to over 500 acres, with those in close proximity receiving orders to evacuate immediately and a Level 1 notice for residents in nearby Klickitat County. The nearby Columbia River was reportedly being used to refill firefighting aircraft and helicopters.
Fire officials expect the blaze to be contained by Aug. 1. Interagency Coordination spokesperson Heather Appelhof said the estimate is based off historical firefighting efforts in that area, including the difficulties of extremely steep terrain and a heavier fuel type.
“When you have a grass fire, it’ll burn and be cool to the touch in an hour. If you have a heavy log on a campfire, it’ll burn for hours,” she said.
The origins of all of the fires are under investigation.
Hot weather and high winds, which often lead to an increase in the number and the danger level of fires, prompted the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning in Spokane Saturday. Another red flag warning was in place Monday until 11 p.m.
