FIRE REPORT: Triple-digit temperatures blaze through Washington

MOSES LAKE — On Friday, record-breaking triple-digit temperatures swept across Washington, ushering in extreme heat and a heightened risk for wildfires according to a National Weather Service press release.

Saturday saw slightly lower temperatures, but the heat risk remained significant. However, the National Weather Service predicts that the heat wave will continue through Tuesday, though the risk will lessen to moderate levels. By Wednesday, Washington is expected to return to a minor heat risk. Fire risks increase with higher temperatures as does the difficulty of fighting fires.

NWS historical data indicates that since 1949, Moses Lake has only experienced 100-degree temperatures for two consecutive days on 65 occasions. That averages less than once a year.  

In addition to the scorching heat, dry lightning strikes and 40 MPH winds were forecasted for the weekend, creating prime conditions for wildfires. Dry fuels and hot weather will continue to elevate fire concerns in Central Washington. The National Weather Service said that a majority of the wildfires are under cloud cover by Saturday except for the Pioneer and Easy Fire.

Smoke from fires in Oregon is also expected to drift into Washington over the weekend, worsening air quality according to the press release. However, as the winds shift mid-week, the smoke is projected to dissipate, though fires within the state will still contribute to local air pollution. 

The three largest fires actively burning in Washington on Saturday:  

1.The Swawilla Fire, ignited by lightning at 11:30 p.m. July 17, has become Washington's largest active blaze, consuming approximately 53,000 acres. Located 10 miles southwest of Keller, fire containment decreased from 70% on Wednesday to 60% on Thursday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). A false news story from 560 KPQ 101.7 claimed that 28 homes burned; this was confirmed false by the Incident Public Information Officers. InciWeb forecasts near-record highs and hot, dry isolated thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday. Multiple evacuation orders remain in effect. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is managing the response, with 685 personnel actively battling the fire. According to InciWeb, full containment is anticipated by Aug. 22. 

2. The Pioneer Fire, which was the second-largest active blaze in Washington, has burned almost 34,000 acres. Containment remained at 12%, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The fire ignited at 12:48 p.m. July 8 and is located 10 miles southwest of Stehekin. Due to the fire, Stehekin is under level three evacuation notices. Parts of the Chelan Ranger District and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest have been closed by the U.S. Forest Service. InciWeb reports an excessive heat warning and a red flag warning for hot, dry, and unstable conditions. The fire is burning within the footprint of the Rex Creek (2001) Fire, evidencing past large fires in the area. Active fire behavior includes flanking, backing, and uphill runs in Four Mile Creek, Hazard Creek and Purple Creek. The fire is well established above Stehekin and Stehekin Landing, which is the main evacuation point. Currently, 668 personnel are actively combating the blaze. Full containment is estimated by Aug. 31, according to InciWeb. 

3. The Retreat Fire, the third largest active blaze in Washington, has expanded from 31,600 acres on Thursday to about 35,000 acres as of Saturday. The fire, which ignited at about 4 p.m. July 23, is 14 miles southwest of Naches. Despite the increase in size, containment remains at 37%. Hot and dry conditions, coupled with gusty west to northwest winds, dominated the fire area on Friday and were expected to continue through Saturday, but cooler temperatures were expected to help firefighters. The cause of the fire is still undetermined and under investigation. Due to the growing threat, several evacuation orders have been issued. A crew of 676 is fighting the fire. 

One new fire started in Washington on Saturday. 

• The Sunset Ridge Fire started at 10:51 a.m. Saturday. The fire is currently 50 acres and not contained. The fire has caused level three evacuations in Oroville.   

• There were also a handful of small, under 10 acres, fires that broke out across Washington today.  

One fire was contained in Washington on Saturday. 

• The Lower Granite Fire, which started at 12:13 p.m. July 29, burned around 14,500 acres. The fire is at 99% containment as of Saturday. The fire is located northeast of Pomeroy, and while the cause is still undetermined, it is likely human caused.  

These fires were also burning in Washington on Saturday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center: 

• The Bridge Creek Fire, which ignited at 4:09 p.m. July 19, has burned approximately 4,000 acres. According to InciWeb, containment has improved significantly, rising from 50% on Thursday to 90% as of Saturday. The fire is situated 11 miles north of Keller, though its cause remains undetermined. An estimated 12 personnel are actively engaged in containment efforts. Full containment is projected by Aug. 15. 

• The Cougar Creek Fire, which ignited at 8:13 p.m. July 15, has grown significantly in recent days. As of Saturday, the fire has spread to 19,100 acres, up from 17,600 acres on Thursday, according to InciWeb. Despite the increase in size, containment efforts have shown progress. Containment has risen from 29% on Thursday to 35% by Saturday. The fire is located near the intersection of Highway 129 and the Grand Ronde River. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Currently, approximately 618 personnel are working to construct containment lines and protect threatened structures and other valuable resources in the area. The estimated date for full containment is projected for Sept. 1. 

• The Easy Fire, sparked by a dry lightning storm at 7:55 p.m. July 17, has burned approximately 530 acres and remains uncontained as of Saturday, according to InciWeb. Located 17 miles west of Mazama, the efforts to control the fire involved 127 personnel. Ground crews are working to establish containment lines, while air resources are deploying water to douse hotspots. Fire managers have set an estimated containment date of September 1, according to InciWeb. 

• The Miners Complex Fires, comprising nine separate blazes, have burned 500 acres and remain uncontained as of Saturday, according to InciWeb. These fires were ignited by a significant dry lightning storm, which generated nearly 1,000 strikes across Oregon and Washington. The fires erupted July 17 and 18, 21 miles east of Darrington. Fire officials have set an estimated containment date of Aug. 31, according to InciWeb. 

• The Pincer Two Fire, which ignited at 4:09 p.m. July 18, has burned 102 acres and remains uncontained as of Saturday, according to InciWeb. Situated one mile east of Mineral Park, this fire was sparked by the same lightning storm that caused the Miners Complex Fires. Currently, 15 personnel are actively working to control the blaze. The estimated containment date is Aug. 31, according to InciWeb. 

• The Shoofly Fire remains steady at 104 acres and has increased containment from 56% on Thursday to 63% on Saturday, according to InciWeb. The fire started at 3:11 p.m. July 8, 9 miles north of Stevens Pass. The projected containment date is Aug. 25. Surprisingly, there are currently no fire personnel working on the blaze. The cause of the fire is still undetermined, and there is an estimated containment date of Sept. 31. 

Other fires reported throughout the state have burned less than 10 acres and are not included in this report. The majority are less than 1 acre. 

Grant County’s wildfire danger continues to be very high. The Grant County Sheriff’s office has asked area residents to be careful with anything that could cause a wildfire. 

Air quality was moderate Saturday for the Columbia Basin, according to the website AirNow, which is operated by a consortium of government agencies. Most of the air quality concerns were caused by wildfires in the Western U.S.