West Plains fire forces evacuations of dozens of homes

Dozens of homes were evacuated late Saturday afternoon as a fast-moving fire quickly consumed 270 acres on the West Plains. A chicken coop and another structure burned, but no homes had been lost by late Saturday. “At first it was so hot there we had spot fires. Trees were torching,” said Assistant Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer, one of many firefighters from numerous jurisdictions called to the scene. It was heading toward homes, but air tankers dumped retardant and water on the fire repeatedly, and it calmed, he said. The fire, which consumed brush, timber and grass, started about 4:30 p.m. at 21251 W. Coulee Hite Road, said Spokane County Fire District 10 Chief Nick Scharff. It likely was human-caused, but remains under investigation. Spot fires from embers were started up to a half mile from the blaze, Scharff said. About 100 homes were given level 2 or level 3 evacuation notices. Under Level 3 evacuations, residents are advised to leave immediately. By 8:30 p.m., only about 35 homes on Brooks Road, south of the fire remained under Level 3 orders. And Level 2 evacuations had been lifted. More crews are heading to the scene fire officials on scene received approval to mobilize state firefighting assistance. Many firefighters working the fire on Coulee Hite Road were sent from a blaze near state Highway 291 and Stone Lodge Ridge. The 291 Fire grew to between 15 to 20 acres in size, said Department of Natural Resources spokesman Eric Keller. The DNR reported late Saturday that that fire was under control.

Below are earlier versions of this report. Nearly 50 homes are threatened by a 138-acre blaze on the West Plains. The fire started about 4:30 p.m. at 21251 W. Coulee Hite Road this afternoon and is in timber, said Spokane County Fire District 10 Chief Nick Scharff. It is believed to be human-caused, but it remains under investigation. Spot fires have been started up to a half mile from the blaze, which is moving north and east, Scharff said. A chicken coop and another structure burned, but no homes have been lost. About 100 homes are under level 2 or level 3 evacuation orders. Under Level 3 evacuations, residents are advised to leave immediately. Planes have attacked the fire with retardant and water.

The following is an earlier version of this report.

Two fires reported northwest of Spokane this afternoon have sent fire crews scrambling to provide enough manpower to fight them. The worst is in the area of 21500 W. Coulee Hite Road and likely has grown to more than 200 acres, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Multiple homes are threatened, crews have ordered evacuations in the area and one structure has burned, the DNR said. Many firefighters working that blaze were sent from a fire in the area of Highway 291 and Stone Lodge Ridge. The 291 Fire is between 15 to 20 acres in size and has been “corralled” but is not contained said Department of Natural Resources spokesman Eric Keller.