Friday fires near Mattawa, Quincy contained
Emry Dinman/Columbia Basin Herald Equipped with shovels, buckets, and a spare fire-hose, area residents flocked to the Buckshot Fire on Thursday to try to push it back from their rural residential road and the homes on the other side.
MOSES LAKE — Grant County fire crews were able to take a breather on Sunday after a flurry of fires hit near Mattawa and Quincy on Friday.
As of Sunday morning, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office announced that the Buckshot Fire, which charred around 30,000 acres between Mattawa and the Columbia River and forced level 3 and level 2 evacuations for residents of Desert Are and homes south of Mattawa, was completely contained.
“All associated evacuation notices are canceled,” the sheriff’s office said of the Mattawa fire. “Remember that fire season is long from being over, so please continue to be careful.”
The Overen Road brush fire north of Quincy was contained as well.
“Those evacuated can return home,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. “Firefighters will continue mop up and monitor the area overnight for flare-ups.”
As for reports of another fire near Mattawa on Sunday, GCSO Spokesman Kyle Foreman said it was a previously permitted agricultural burn that wary, nearby residents had called in.
“Nothing is burning out of control in Grant County so far today,” Foreman said a little after noon on Sunday.
Charles H. Featherstone can be reached via email at countygvt@columbiabasinherald.com