Firefighters battle blaze near Turnbull wildlife refuge

Firefighters plan to work through the night to contain a lightning-caused wildfire that flared up today about 2 miles south of the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge near Cheney. The fire burned across 123 acres of grass and ponderosa pine on private land and is 20 percent contained this evening, said Eric Keller with the state Department of Natural Resources. No homes or other buildings are threatened. About 80 DNR firefighters plus Spokane Rural Fire District 3 and wildlife refuge crews were on the scene Sunday. Planes made retardant drops on the fire, which was at 31015 S. Cheney Plaza Road.