Town of Winthrop, WA ordered to evacuate amid growing wildfire
Hamilton Fire near Winthrop, WA prompts evacuations
A "GO NOW" evacuation order was issued on Sunday for the whole town of Winthrop in north central Washington, southeast of North Cascades National Park, due to a growing wildfire.
WINTHROP, Wash. - Evacuation orders for areas west of Winthrop in Okanogan County have been downgraded after the fire's rapid growth prompted the entire town to evacuate Sunday.
Hamilton Fire: Evacuation levels downgraded, but wildfire threat remains
All Level 3 "Go Now" evacuations and Level 2 "Get Set" evacuations have since been downgraded to Level 1 "Get Ready" advisories.
Okanogan County officials provided more information to the public about the Hamilton Fire on Monday.
The backstory:
The "Hamilton Fire" started around 9 a.m. on Sunday and by the early afternoon it had grown to roughly 300 acres. Deputy State Fire Marshal Amy Thornton said it was burning grass and brush but threatened homes, infrastructure, and public safety. The Washington State Patrol urged people in the impacted areas to evacuate towards Twisp, a nearby town in Okanogan County.
Evacuated residents are now allowed back in their homes, but should be aware of their surroundings and take action if needed.
What they're saying:
At one point, the entire town of Winthrop was under a Level 3 evacuation.
Governor Bob Ferguson released a statement on Sunday afternoon about the fire in Winthrop
"Thinking of the people in Winthrop, and appreciate the work of first responders. Please follow evacuation directions and be safe," said Governor Bob Ferguson.
Local perspective:
The Level 1 evacuation directive remains in effect for the following areas:
- East of West Chewuch Road to East Chewuch Road,
- South of Sunset Boulevard
- Area of the Town of Winthrop
- Bluff Street
- Corral Street
- Bridge Street
Winthrop, Washington fire map from Watch Duty (on Sunday, June 28)
Closures due to Hamilton Fire in Winthrop, Washington
The fire prompted emergency officials to shut down State Route 20 near the town of Winthrop for about three hours.
The Silverline Lakeside Resort released a statement on June 28, telling anyone who has reservations to not come to the property due to the evacuations that have been in place throughout the day.
"As of 1pm Sunday June 28th we have been under a level 3 evacuation. If you have reservations today, please do not come to the resort, as we have no power or water and the fire is fast moving. We will continue to update with information as it becomes available to us. Our number 1 priority is to make sure everyone is safe," read the statement, in full.
"Definitely a wind-driven fire and that’s been one of the reasons for the rapid spread," said Kyle-Milward. "The fire is currently bringing in fine, flashy fuels which are very susceptive to the wind," said Thomas Kyle–Milward, PIO 3, Hamilton Fire.
What's next:
By late Sunday night, the evacuations in Winthrop had been downgraded. On Monday, the evacuations were downgraded again, as the fire was reportedly 85% contained.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Washington State Patrol District 6 Public Information Officer social media account and local law enforcement partners.