Firefighters brace for Saturday winds

A ferocious wind storm expected Saturday has put much of the state – much of it already on fire – on high alert. The danger is extreme throughout central and eastern Washington and North Idaho, officials said. But ground zero as of Friday evening appeared to be the city of Republic in Ferry County. The massive North Star fire is burning about seven miles to the south, and winds are expected to blow toward the town. “Everybody in town is very worried,” Republic City Councilman Larry Heming said late Friday. “A lot of people are not confident.” Southwest winds gusting to 52 mph in Spokane are due to rip over a broad swath of the Inland Northwest with mountain winds potentially reaching 60 to 70 mph, according to the National Weather Service. A “red-flag” warning for dangerous fire weather was posted for a wide chunk of the Pacific Northwest from the Cascades eastward into Montana and southward into Oregon. The Inland Northwest is under the warning from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. The high winds are forecast to cross the east slopes of the Cascades before 8 a.m. and reach Spokane at 11 a.m. Firefighters and emergency managers are bracing for trouble, especially if power lines start falling and triggering fires, said Gerry Bozarth, public information officer for the Greater Spokane Emergency Management agency. The trouble would start with wind knocking down trees and large branches. Spokane’s firestorm in 1991 started from numerous downed power lines during high winds. In Republic, a town of about 1,000 located in a valley, many residents spent Friday night packing their cars. “I’ve heard people tell me when they see that fire coming over that hill, they’re gone,” Heming said. He added, however, that town workers have spent much of the last two weeks preparing for fire. Generators are ready to pump city water if electricity is lost. “We have a million gallons of water in storage,” Heming said. He added that there are numerous fire trucks from outside Republic in town ready to help. Republic City Councilwoman Loni Simone said she was ready to leave. “I’m hoping to get some kind sleep tonight and then we will leave,” she said. In a message on Facebook, Ferry County Sheriff Raymond Maycumber asked Republic residents to “consider temporarily relocating until the winds subside” even though an official Level 3 evacuation order had not been issued. “Feel secure in the fact that we will increase patrols throughout the community to prevent looting,” Maycumber’s message said. “We will do everything possible to ensure that you return to your homes with as little disruption and as soon as possible.” Sue Valente, a spokeswoman for the Carpenter Road fire in southwestern Stevens County, said firefighters on Friday had been establishing new “anchor points” for fighting fires along with escape routes for when the flames become aggressive. “Firefighters have to have those so they can come home at night,” Valente said. In addition, crews were working to establish protection zones around threatened homes. The winds are expected to whip in from the southwest and drive thick dust. Visibility could drop to a quarter mile. But the wind also will blow away smoke pollution, at least for a time. On Friday, air quality was moderate, and by early evening, air quality had nearly improved to the good range in Spokane. Drivers in high-profile vehicles may also be at risk, especially from cross winds along Interstate 90 and U.S. Highway 2 west of Spokane. The anticipated cold front is being driven by a low pressure area moving onshore from the Pacific Ocean. Most of the heavy rain is expected west of and along the Cascade crest. Areas to the east where fires are burning may see only a few hundredths of an inch of rain Saturday with the exception of the Wolverine fire along Lake Chelan in the Cascades. A second cold front on Sunday morning could bring about 0.12 inches of rain to Spokane and up to a quarter inch in northern zones where fires have been raging. National Weather Service forecasters said sustained southwest winds may reach 35 mph in Spokane and 38 mph in Ritzville. Both cities are in the bull’s eye of the storm forecast. The high winds will extend from north central Washington into the Idaho Panhandle and northeast Oregon. Coeur d’Alene has forecasted wind gusts of 45 mph. Pullman may see gusts to 47 mph. In Omak, south wind may reach sustained speeds at 31 mph with gusts to 47 mph. In Spokane, the winds are expected to continue into the evening before relaxing after nightfall. The strongest winds are likely to blow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. before gusts subside into the 30 mph range. The second cold front on Sunday will create breezy conditions. The storm also is ushering in what may be the end of the hot summer. High temperatures will drop to the 70s and chances of showers will persist through at least Friday. Travel on U.S. Highways 195 and 95 through the Palouse could be treacherous Saturday. Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area officials warned the public to take precautions to be safe during high winds, which can turn lake conditions treacherous for recreational activities, especially boating.