QUINCY — At 2 p.m. Sunday a 35-acre blaze started on Overen Road outside of Quincy. The fire was quickly contained two hours after it started with Fire District 3, Fire District 13, Ephrata Fire Department and Bureau of Land Management Fire responding to the fire according to David Durfee, Interim Fire Chief of Fired District 3.
“We got it under control pretty fast, air resources showed up, but we didn’t have to use them because our teams had it under control,” Durfee said.
The fire only burned wildlands, no structures or injuries occurred according to Durfee. The teams continued to mop up the fire into Sunday night to ensure it wouldn’t spread.
At 8:15 p.m. Saturday, there was a fire on Road P Northeast between Road 7 Northeast and Road 9 Northeast, in rural Moses Lake according to Grant County Fire District 5 Captain Brent Haley. The fire burned 700 acres and was caused by lighting.
“I believe all units did an exceptional job with the winds and the terrain at hand,” Haley said. “The weather played a big role in the length in it and trying to get a containment on it.”
The fire was contained by 10:30 p.m. with GCFD 5 and GCFD 4 responding to the fire. There were no injuries or property damaged, according to Haley.
Largest Washington fires:
Retreat Fire: Washington’s largest active blaze was at 45,600 acres and increased containment 5% from Saturday to Monday and is now 85% contained. The fire started at 4 p.m. July 14, about 14 miles southeast of Naches. It has 228 personnel on it.
Pioneer Fire: Washington’s second-largest active wildfire remained at 38,700 acres and 23% containment as of Monday. The fire started around 1 p.m. June 8 and is located 10 miles southeast of Stehekin. Six hundred twenty-two personnel were involved in suppressing the blaze on Monday.
Cougar Creek Fire: Washington’s third-largest fire had burned almost 24,100 acres and was 80% contained Monday, 5% more than Saturday. The fire blazed up around 8 p.m. July 15 approximately 1 mile west of the intersection of Highway 129 and the Grand Ronde River, south of Walla Walla. Two hundred twenty-six personnel were on the scene.
Seven new Washington fires:
- The 6 Mile Fire started at 12:25 p.m. Sunday. The fire burned 120 acres with no containment and is in Ferry County. Crew size not specified.
- The Bohoskey Fire started at 2:45 p.m. Monday. The fire has burned 200 acres with no containment. The fire is in Yakima County. No information on crew size.
- The Charm Fire started at 1:23 p.m. Monday. The fire has scorched 150 acres with no containment. The fire is in Okanogan County. No information on crew size.
- The Shugart Fire started at 10:17 Saturday. The blaze has burned 15 acres with no containment in Chelan County. No information on crew size.
- The Smith Canyon started at 10:38 a.m. Sunday. The fire has burned 26.3 acres with no containment in Franklin County 7 miles southeast of Mesa. Crew size not specified.
- The Stranger Creek II Fire started at 2:17 p.m. Sunday. The fire has burned 30 acres with no containment in Ferry County. No crew information available.
- The Wicked Drive Fire started at 12:04 p.m. Sunday. The blaze has burnt 700 acres with no containment. The fire was started by lighting and located 24 miles northwest of Spokane. Crew size not specified.
No fires were contained Monday.
Other fires:
- Easy Fire: 2,100 acres. 29% containment. Began at 8 p.m. July 17. Located 17 miles west of Mazama along North Cascades Scenic Highway. 246 personnel.
- Flat Creek Fire: 40 acres. 0% contained. Started on Friday. Located in Chelan County, near Flat Creek. Crew size not specified.
- Jupiter Fire/2620 Road Fire: 398 acres. 8% contained. Started 5 p.m. Wednesday. Located west of Brinnon. 269 personnel.
- Kachess Complex: consists of three fires. Stave Creek Fire: 12.1 acres, 35% contained. Thomas Fire: 9 acres, 95% contained. Waptus fire 0.5 acres, 100% contained. Started on Aug. 9. Located in the Cle Elum Ranger District of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. 155 personnel.
- Lodgepole Fire: 35 acres. 6% contained. Started at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 12. Located 16 miles west of Cliffdell. 8 personnel on fire.
- Miners Complex Fires: 1,100 acres. 0% containment. Began on July 17. Located 21 miles east of Darrington. Fire crew details unavailable.
- Pincer Two Fire: 190 acres. 0% containment. Began on July 18. Located 1 mile east of Mineral Park. 15 personnel.
- Ruby Fire: 902 acres. 0% containment. Began 7 a.m. Friday. Located in Whatcom County. 94 personnel.
- Shoofly Fire: 104 acres. 63% contained. Ignited on July 8. Located 9 miles north of Stevens Pass. No crew information available.
- Williams Mine Fire: 11,600 acres. 5% contained. Started noon Aug. 5. Located near Mount Adams Wilderness in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. 721 personnel.
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.
The Columbia Basin’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.
