Mar Don fire contained at 2,815 acres
Suspects being sought
MAR DON - A wildland fire destroying an estimated 2,815 acres of land this week about 12 miles southwest of Moses Lake, is contained.
But smoke will still be visible in the area over the next few days.
U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Paula Call said on Wednesday that all fire crews were sent home except for six engines remaining near O'Sullivan Dam.
The engines remained through Wednesday and continue to patrol the area during the next few days to ensure the fire doesn't restart, she said.
The fire was believed to have been caused by people who fired tracer rounds.
A witness contacted a Grant County Sheriff's deputy saying he saw several people shooting a rifle and how a woman with the group told him they were shooting tracer rounds, Grant County Undersheriff John Turley said.
The investigation is being conducted by state Department of Fish and Wildlife Sgt. Chris Erhardt, who found a nearly full box of shotgun shells and rifle rounds left at the sight.
"It was apparent they were in a hurry to get out of there," said Turley. "It was in an area where the fire did start."
The investigation continues.
Earlier estimates indicated that about 3,150 acres was believed to have burned, which is 335 acres higher than what was reported Wednesday. The new acreage amounts were generated after officials walked the area with GIS mapping equipment, she said.
About 2,154 acres of the land is located on the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge with 50 acres believed to be Grant County-controlled or private land, she said. The remaining 611 acres belong to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, she added.
The blaze started Sunday and about 160 firefighters from Grant County, Adams County, Franklin County, Walla Walla County, Benton County, Richland, College Place, the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Forest Service responded, Call said.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife also had a fire investigator on the scene, she said.