Weather helps wildfire crews

TONASKET, Wash. – Drenching rain and cooler temperatures that accompanied a series of thunderstorms moving across Eastern Washington helped firefighters gain ground on the state’s major wildfires Thursday.

The National Weather Service forecast more rain and cooler temperatures in the region through today. Thunderstorms had brought a half-inch or more of rain, and skies remained overcast Thursday.

“The weather’s on our side. Mother Nature really is helping right now,” said Roland Emetaz, a spokesman for the Tunk Grade fire in Okanogan County, the largest active fire in the state.

The lightning-caused fire, which was about 85 percent contained, had blackened more than 25 square miles. Evacuation notices for most homes in the area were canceled, Emetaz said.

Fire bosses anticipated the fire would be fully contained on Saturday, he said.

Spokesman Scott Crawford said the fire had decreased in intensity and crews spent most of Thursday shoring up perimeter lines.

The thunderstorms that brought rain were a mixed blessing, because they also brought lightning, which started some new fires in the central Cascades, officials said.

Firefighters were sent to three fires near Lake Wenatchee, Cle Elum and between Lake Kachess and Cle Elum, said Jim Duck of the Central Washington Interagency Coordination Center.

All three fires were small and not immediately threatening any structures.

To the east, three lightning-sparked fires collectively known as the Windy Ridge Complex were burning more than 373 acres of the Colville National Forest in Stevens and Ferry counties. The largest was 30 percent contained, officials said. No structures were threatened.

The Tolo fire, started Saturday by lightning in North Cascades National Park, had burned about 154 acres in a steep, wooded area about 15 miles northwest of Stehekin, where it was being monitored.

In Idaho, residents of the tiny southwest town of Murphy Hot Springs were ordered to evacuate Thursday because of a nearby wildfire.

That blaze – and another burning on desert rangeland near the Idaho National Laboratory – were among the most dramatic wildfires burning across the state. The INL fire was declared contained Thursday night, and no damage was reported at the nuclear research and cleanup facility.

The Rowland blaze, burning across nearly 200 square miles near the Nevada border, was threatening 50 homes, eight commercial buildings and about 20 outbuildings in Murphy Hot Springs, said Brock Astle with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.