Over 1,000-acre wildfire burning in Whitman County

A wildfire burning more than 1,000 acres in northwestern Whitman County put residents in the area on standby to evacuate Wednesday.

Deputies and fire crews were in the area of Ewan and Rock Lake battling the uncontained blaze, measuring between 1,000 and 2,000 acres as of Wednesday evening, according to the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

A Level 2 evacuation, which means be ready to leave, was implemented Wednesday night.

Washington state Route 23 was initially closed between Ewan and Goldfield Road but has since reopened. Still, the Sheriff’s Office asks people to limit travel in the area if possible.