FIRE REPORT: Moses Lake sends crews to Lake Chelan fire

MOSES LAKE — The Pioneer Fire burning along the eastern shore of Lake Chelan is still growing, and was at 12,265 acres Wednesday, according to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Containment remained at 14%. The fire, which has been burning since June 8, is being fought by 818 personnel, including six firefighters from the Moses Lake Fire Department, according to MLFD spokesperson Heather Kok.

“We have one firefighter that's been up there since the 26th of June,” Kok said Wednesday. “We have two firefighters who have been offering medical support since the 29th of June, and then we just sent another crew of three up yesterday.”

A fire sprang up in the steep ground overlooking the Snake River outside Clarkston in southeastern Washington on Tuesday afternoon. The fire, dubbed the Red Wolf Fire, was quickly brought under control with aircraft, as many parts of the terrain were inaccessible to firefighters on the ground. The blaze was fully contained Wednesday at 10 acres.

“Fire managers stated (that) without the quick help from (Clarkston-based helicopter service) Leading Aviation, the fire could have (run) up the hill and consumed thousands of acres,” Asotin County Fire District No. 1 wrote in a statement. “The very skilled pilots were hitting flames with water, while maneuvering around high voltage power lines.”

These other fires were also burning in Washington on Wednesday, according to the NIFC:

• The 507 fire about 16 miles southeast of Olympia was discovered Tuesday afternoon and had grown to 10 acres Wednesday. The cause was human activity, but cost and containment information were unavailable.

• The 1980 Slide Ranch Fire, discovered June 22 about 20 miles southwest of Yakima, was 99% contained Tuesday at 3,166 acres. The fire was human-caused, and costs were estimated at $4 million.

• The Balsam Root Fire on the northwest outskirts of Wenatchee was fully contained Wednesday at 305 acres. Suppression costs were estimated at $446,859.

• The Gold Creek Fire, discovered June 22 in the Methow Valley about 31 miles southwest of Omak, remained fully contained at 278 acres Wednesday. Costs were estimated at $1.7 million. The cause of the blaze was undetermined.

• The Joe Barker Fire in northern Walla Walla County about 43 miles northeast of Pasco, was discovered July 3. It was fully contained at 1,436 acres and suppression costs were estimated at $30,000.

• The Middle Mountain Fire about 34 miles northeast of Grand Coulee was discovered July 4 and was 80% contained at 14.2 acres Wednesday. Costs were estimated at $3 million. The cause was reported to be natural.

• The Morgan Lake Fire in the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge was discovered July 3 and remained at 120 acres Wednesday. Cost and containment information was not available.  

• The Mutual Aid 20151 Fire, discovered June 27 just a few miles southwest of Clarkston, remained at 50 acres Wednesday. Cost and containment information was not yet available and the cause was undetermined.

• The Road 11 Fire burning about 12 miles southwest of Mansfield was fully contained Wednesday at 840 acres. Costs were estimated at $209,000.

• The Sand Flat Fire about 2 miles northeast of Omak was discovered July 4 and remained at 120 acres Wednesday. The cause was undetermined and cost and containment information was not available.

• The Shoofly Fire in the Cascades about 45 miles northwest of Wenatchee was still uncontained Wednesday at 125 acres. Estimated cost was $1 million.

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.

Air quality was good in Grant and Adams counties Wednesday, according to the website AirNow, which is operated by a consortium of government agencies.

Joel Martin may be reached by email at jmartin@columbiabasinherald.com.

    A helicopter drops a load of water on the Red Wolf Fire along the Snake River near Clarkston.