Homeowners in fire’s path put on alert

Taking advantage of the cool weather while it lasted, crews worked furiously Saturday night and Sunday to corral a major fire on the Colville Indian Reservation.

But winds hampered the effort, and the so-called Columbia River Road fire grew slightly. Estimated at 20,665 acres, it remained just 15 percent contained by Sunday night – about the same as Sunday morning.

The fire west of Nespelem is “very active,” said Cynthia Bork, spokeswoman for the statewide team of nearly 500 people. “The winds really came up and it’s so dry – so, so dry.”

Owners of about 20 homes are under a “level 1” notice, meaning they’re prepared to evacuate should it become necessary. Fire crews are stationed at the homes, and have built fire lines around each, Bork said.

Worrying firefighters is a forecast that calls for temperatures to grow steadily hotter, hitting the 90s before the weekend.