Fast-moving West Plains fire prompts evacuation notices

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. It did, however, damage Bonneville Power Administration infrastructure, causing some to lose electricity.

“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.

Avista Utilities reported on Twitter that about 1,300 customers near Wilbur lost power as a result of damage to “Bonneville transmission structures.”

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. Level 2 evacuations had been lifted.

More crews are heading to the scene and 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 and 20 acres in size, said Department of Natural Resources spokesman Eric Keller. The DNR reported late Saturday that that fire was under control.