Fire on Saddle Mountain

MATTAWA — Fire crews from around the region responded to a fire on Saddle Mountain, east of Mattawa, on Monday, according to Grant County Sheriff’s Office. When it was first reported, about 2:30 p.m., the fire was estimated to be between 300 and 600 acres and no evacuations had been ordered.

By 4 p.m., the fire had grown to an estimated 1,400 acres, though it was isolated on the top of the mountain range and was not threatening any structures.

Citizens were asked to stay clear of the area, to allow firefighters to access the wildfire. Drones are also not to be flown.

Late Monday evening, troopers closed Highway 24 from Road 24 SW to Hendricks Road, according to Trooper John Bryant, of the Washington State Patrol, on his Twitter feed. Later he reported that the highway had reopened at 1:45 a.m. Tuesday morning.

As of 5 a.m. on Tuesday, July 7, the Southeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team had taken control of the fire and reported that approximately 5,760 acres had burned and was only ten percent contained.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.