Illegal shooting to blame for Milemarker 81 Fire

By RICHARD BYRD

Staff Writer

SOAP LAKE — Fire officials report that Saturday’s large wildfire north of Soap Lake was a result of people illegally shooting guns.

Grant County Fire District No. 7 Chief Kirk Sheppard said the shooting sparked the “Milemarker 81 Fire” near Lake Lenore, north of Soap Lake, on Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park property.

“Technically it is all Washington State Park ground (where they were shooting), but it was not in a park, it’s in an open area,” Sheppard said on Monday.

Initial mapping of the large wildfire, which broke out Saturday night, put the size of the fire at over 1,000 acres. Sheppard said up-to-date information lowered the size of the wildfire to just under 850 acres. There was no reported injuries and at least one structure and 12 power distribution poles were destroyed, causing 21 Grant County PUD customers to be without power for a couple of hours.

The fire prompted a Level 3 evacuation notice, meaning people need to evacuate as soon as possible, to be sent out for SR-17 from Road 24.4 South to the Smokiam RV Park. A Level 2 evacuation was issued as well. All notices were canceled a few hours after they were issued Saturday night and evacuees returned to where they were staying.

SR-17 was closed between milepost 76 and 79 shortly after firefighters first responded to the scene and reopened about 10:45 p.m. The fire is still being investigated by the Department of Natural Resources and the Grant County Fire Marshal’s Office. Citations and/or criminal charges have not yet been levied against the unidentified people who were shooting guns.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.