A wildfire burning on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge grew rapidly overnight, prompting evacuations for at least three areas.
The Milepost 90 Fire is burning in Klickitat County, two miles west of Wishram. It started late Tuesday afternoon, and the cause is under investigation, according to Washington State Patrol Fire Protection Bureau.
Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Bill Slosson said the fire threatening homes, crops, power infrastructure, livestock and water sources.
By Wednesday morning, the fire grew to 11,000 acres before growth stalled this morning. Containment was at 30 percent.
The U.S. Forest Service initially announced level three, or “go now,” evacuation orders this morning but after noon lowered the evacuation to level two, or “get set” for the following three areas:
- Wishram Heights, north of state Highway 14.
- The area east of Dalles Mountain Road and west of U.S. Highway 97, south of String Street Road and north of state Highway 14.
- South of state Highway 14 at Maryhill Winery to U.S. Highway 97 upper junction to include Pat’s Ranch Mart, which does not include the town of Maryville.
Residents in Wishram Heights south of the state Highway 14 and in portions of Maryhill have been asked to prepare to evacuate.
Updates on the evacuations will be posted on the Klickitat County Dispatch Facebook page.
A Red Cross Shelter has been set up at Goldendale High School, with a hotline set up at 1-888-680-1455.
People are getting out, but commuting through the area of the fire is off limits. The Washington State Department of Transportation says state Highway 14 is closed between Dallesport and Maryhill.
Officials said there is no estimate for when the highway will reopen. Drivers were advised to use alternate routes.
State fire assistance has been mobilized to support local firefighters working to contain the fire, as flames have already scorched vegetation on private, Forest Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs lands.
Specialists from the Fire Protection Bureau have ordered five wildland task forces, two 20-person hand crews, three bulldozers, a helicopter, and an incident management team.
