New blazes keep firefighters busy

Crews battled new wildfires north and west of Spokane on Tuesday as heavy smoke hindered firefighting efforts near Dayton.

A fire about 20 miles north of Colville started around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, said Department of Natural Resources spokesman Brett Walker. The cause of the blaze was unknown Tuesday night, he said.

Walker said crews are also battling a blaze outside of Chewelah, but he didn’t have further information because he was at the Colville blaze.

Firefighters fought grass fires north of Reardan and west of Highway 395 north of Spokane on Tuesday afternoon as well.

Air crews at the Columbia Complex fire near Dayton, which has blackened more than 67,381 acres, or more than 105 square miles, couldn’t see through thick smoke Tuesday, said Virgil Mink, fire information officer with the U.S. Forest Service.

“Today, the smoke just laid down on it too hard,” he said. “We couldn’t see anything. It was a tough day to get on a fire.”

Started by lighting Aug. 21, the complex is about 20 percent contained and was being fought around the clock by about 735 firefighters, he said.

More favorable weather in north-central Washington, where the huge Tripod wildfire grew by nearly 3,000 acres in 24 hours, helped firefighters there.

The lightning-caused fire escaped north into the Pasayten Wilderness during hot and windy conditions Monday, fire spokesman Bud Nelson said. Firefighters were pulled from the lines because of unsafe conditions.

The fire has now consumed about 142,326 acres, or about 222 square miles, Nelson said.

“Today, where weather is more in our favor – with higher humidity and lower temperatures and not as much wind – fire crews will make a direct attack on the fire,” Nelson said Tuesday.

There are 1,562 people battling the Tripod Complex fire, and it is about 48 percent contained, he said.

A cold front dropped temperatures 10 to 15 degrees from highs in the 90s east of the Cascade Range as it crossed the state Tuesday, carrying a chance of showers by Wednesday, according to National Weather Service forecasts.

By Thursday temperatures could drop into the 60s and 70s across the state, well below normal for this time of year, forecasters said.

Among the state’s other major wildfires:

“The human-caused Flick Creek fire on the eastern shore of Lake Chelan had covered 5,191 acres, about eight square miles, and was 40 percent contained.

“The lightning-caused Tinpan fire in the Glacier Peak Wilderness covered 6,183 acres, about 8.6 square miles, and was being allowed to burn naturally within preset boundaries.

“The lightning-caused Tatoosh Complex, north of Mazama in the Pasayten, covered 5,420 acres, about 8.5 square miles, and was being monitored.

“The Carbon Copy fire near the northwest boundary of Mount Rainier National Park covered 220 acres and was about 60 percent contained.

“The Bear Gulch fire near Olympic National Park stood at 800 acres and was 60 percent trailed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.