Wildland fire near Ephrata contained Tuesday night

EPHRATA — The Norton Canyon fire northwest of Ephrata was extinguished late Tuesday night.

The wild land fire burned roughly 120 acres, said Grant County Emergency Management spokesperson Kyle Foreman. The fire was 95 percent contained by 9 p.m.

There were no injuries and firefighters successfully protected two homes threatened by the fire.

Grant County Fire District 13 remained on the scene through the night and Wednesday to patrol the area in case of flare ups, he said. Caution is being used due to the heat, wind, terrain and size of the area burned.

Foreman said the cause of the fire has not been determined. It is being investigated by the Grant County Fire Marshal’s Office.

More than 50 firefighters from 12 of the 14 fire districts in Grant County responded to the fire, Foreman said. Personnel from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and two water-dropping helicopters from the state Department of Natural Resources were used during the fire.

Emergency management assisted with planning, resource coordination and releasing information.

Smoke billowing from the fire could be seen from Winchester and Soap Lake.