Wildfire Near Omak Forces Evacuations

Emergency crews and firefighters in Okanogan County battled two large fires in the Colville Indian Reservation east of here Saturday.

The wildfires had grown to about 600 acres and 2,000 acres as of late Saturday night, KPQ Radio reported.

The larger blaze began as three smaller fires just off State Route 155, near the town of Omak, around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, said Lareesa Whalawitsa, a dispatcher for the Colville Tribe Police. Then the three grew and joined into one fire that raced through grass and timber, she said.

Whalawitsa said the fire, which was running parallel to the Okanogan River, stretched about seven to eight miles northeast of the town.

“I just see a big, black cloud of smoke,” Whalawitsa said.

No injuries or property damage were reported.

According to Whalawitsa, about 200 people were evacuated from the reservation Saturday night.

Steve Bayshack, a dispatcher with the Omak police, said the Red Cross was setting up an evacuation center at Omak High School.