Modrite fire

The fire pushed north aggressively, forcing the community center and the town into a Level 3 "go now" evacuation zone.

Section:Gallery

Fri., July 31, 2026

Skyler Stensgar works to cut fire lines to keep the Modrite fire from his home on Friday, Jul 31, 2026, just south of Inchelium, Wash.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Firefighter Kenny Lelone monitors a flare-up of the Modrite fire on Friday, July 31, 2026, in a forest just south of Inchelium, Wash.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Ray Watt drives a bulldozer while digging a fire line to contain the Modrite fire on Friday, Jul 31, 2026, just south of Inchelium, Wash. Though he was injured in a burnover while digging lines in the Kaiser Canyon fire, Watt fired up the dozer to keep the Modrite fire from Inchelium.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Ray Watt shows where he was burned while fighting the Kaiser Canyon fire earlier this year on Friday, Jul 31, 2026, in Inchelium, Wash. Though injured, Watt fired up his dozer to keep the Modrite fire from Inchelium.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Firefighter Kenny Lelone moves a hose while setting up defenses against the Modrite fire on Friday, July 31, 2026, in a forest just south of Inchelium, Wash.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Ray Watt pauses while driving a bulldozer to dig a fire line against forward progress of the Modrite fire on Friday, Jul 31, 2026, just south of Inchelium, Wash. Though he was injured in a burnover while digging lines in the Kaiser Canyon fire, Watt fired up the dozer to keep the Modrite fire from Inchelium.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
A helicopter surveys the Modrite fire on Friday, Jul 31, 2026, just south of Inchelium, Wash.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Crystal Conant, left and Faith Zacherle, with the River Warrior Society offload supplies to help families who are affected by the Modrite fire on Friday, Jul 31, 2026, in Inchelium, Wash.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Joe Pakootas Jr., left, smiles as he and firefighter Ed Wolfe, right, work to fill a tank on the back of Pakootas’ truck with water from Stranger Creek on Friday, Jul 31, 2026, south of Inchelium, Wash.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Firefighter Kenny Lelone, left, works to extinguish a spot fire in a forest using water from his uncle Joe Pakootas Jr., right, as they keep the Modrite fire under control on Friday, July 31, 2026, in a forest just south of Inchelium, Wash.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Firefighter Meika Heath, pauses while putting out spot fires as she works to keep the Modrite fire contained on Friday, July 31, 2026, in a forest just south of Inchelium, Wash.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Firefighter Kenny Lelone heads through heavy smoke and a field doused in fire retardant as he works to keep the Modrite fire under control on Friday, July 31, 2026, in Inchelium. The weather forecast for later this week calls for winds that could gust to 20 mph, creating more dangerous fire conditions.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Firefighter Kenny Lelone and firefighter Meika Heath take a rest while while fighting the Modrite fire on Friday, July 31, 2026, in a forest just south of Inchelium, Wash.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review