Hope Fire in northeast WA surpasses 7,000 acres, Level 3 evacuations remain in place
WA wildfire updates: Toonerville, Bear Gulch, Western Pines and more
The Toonerville fire has been downgraded to a level one evacuation. The Bear Gulch fire has burned 440 acres and is not contained at all. Fox 13 Meteorologist Abby Acone has more on how the heat will impact fire danger this week.
STEVENS COUNTY, Wash. - The Hope Fire, burning in Stevens County, surpassed 7,000 acres on Monday, and dry, gusty winds in the forecast threaten to drive further growth.
By the numbers:
The wildfire was first reported on Tuesday, July 8, and is burning about 15 miles north of Kettle Falls and five miles southwest of Northport, Washington. As of Monday, the fire has reached 7,117 acres and is 8% contained. There are currently 867 firefighting personnel assigned to the fire.
Evacuation orders issued for Hope Fire in Stevens County, WA
As of Monday afternoon, Level 3 "Go Now", Level 2 "Get Set" and Level 1 "Get Ready" evacuations remain active.
Maps show Hope Fire perimeter and evacuation maps. Green indicates Level 1 "Get Ready", Yellow indicates Level 2 "Get Set" and Red indicates Level 3 "Go Now" evacuations. (Stevens County Emergency Management/Watch Duty)
What they're saying:
"We will be reviewing evacuation levels today with the Incident Response Team," wrote Stevens County Emergency Management (SCEM) in a Monday press release. "High winds are expected in the area which may mean Level 3 stays in place. If you are in the area, please be aware of the expected winds."
Evacuation zone and road closure information will be posted on Stevens County Emergency Management Facebook page.
Officials say a Red Cross Evacuation Center has been set up at the Kettle Falls Middle School on an on-call basis. The Animal Evacuation Center at the Northeast Washington Fairgrounds remains open.
Western Pines Fire in eastern WA holds steady, evacuation orders in place
Fire crews are managing to hold back a wildfire that sparked Wednesday afternoon in eastern Washington. The size of the blaze has decreased slightly, however containment remains at 0%.
High Wind Warning in Eastern WA
What's next:
The U.S. National Weather Service issued high wind warnings, primarily for northern Stevens County where the Hope Fire is burning.
"Please avoid any activities that may result in a spark," wrote SCEM in a Monday social media post. "This means anything with an open flame outside, chains dragging on asphalt, mowing where rocks can be hit, using chainsaws, parking on dry grass, cutting metal, etc. Let's all do our part to prevent wildfire starts today. One spark is all it takes."
What caused the Hope Fire in Stevens County, WA?
The cause of the Hope Fire, burning in northeast Washington, remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Source: Information in this article comes from Stevens County Emergency Management.
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