As Spokane Complex Fires burn, other blazes continue spreading throughout Washington

Windy, dry and hot conditions have spurred fires throughout the state as the Spokane Complex fires also burned.

From the Cascades to the eastern edge of the state, here’s how Washington fires have developed throughout the past several days:

Bradeen Hill fire – Stevens County near the town of Gifford

The Bradeen Hill fire has seen improvements in recent days. The 4,418-acre fire is 42% contained, said Public Information Officer Bill Sweeney.

The crew is aiming to mop up the fire, the cause of which is still under investigation, Sweeney said. Recent work on the fire has involved bringing smaller portions into the main fire, located about 1.5 miles east of Gifford.

Arterial Addy-Gifford Road has re-opened, and “the Bradeen fire is looking really good,” Sweeney said.

Hudspeth fire – Stevens County near the town of Hunters

While the Hudspeth fire is at 0% containment, firefighting efforts are going well.

“It’s going as planned,” Sweeney said. “Things are looking good up there.”

Efforts are being made to secure and construct the containment line. Some 178 personnel are working on the 5,820-acre fire.

The fire’s forward operating base has moved to Fruitland Bible Camp, near Enterprise, to ensure they can easily reach several fires in the area at once.

The fire’s cause is under investigation.

Modrite fire – Ferry County near the town of Inchelium

The Modrite fire, at 53,750 acres as of Wednesday afternoon, is at 35% containment. There are 548 workers on the fire.

The lightning-sparked blaze is still very active on its western end, located near Twin Lakes, Washington. Crews are focused on establishing a containment line along the western border.

Gradual increases in the fire’s behavior are expected due to weather conditions. Further personnel may be deployed .

“We’re looking at getting some army firefighters hopefully tied in with the hotshot crews this weekend,” Sweeney said.

Mitre Rock fire – Stevens County near the town of Davenport

The Mitre Rock fire is within four borders: Peters Road on the north, Highway 25 on the west, Pierre Camp Road on the east and the Spokane River on the south. Efforts have been focused on keeping the fire below Peters Road.

While the fire is 0% contained, Sweeney expects containment to increase soon. Some 104 personnel are working on the 4,439-acre fire.

“They’ve got it boxed in pretty good,” Sweeney said. “They’re working on putting out hot spots and doing mop-up.”

Southwest winds will likely help to move smoke from the fire, the cause of which is under investigation, out of the valleys in the near future.

Kaiser Canyon fire – Colville Reservation in Okanogan County

The Kaiser Canyon fire has seen improved conditions over the past few days.

“We’ve had favorable weather conditions – it’s been a little cooler, we’ve had lighter winds,” said Public Information Officer Cassie Wandersee. “That’s really lessened the fire behavior that we’re seeing.”

Smoke from other fires has cooled down the area surrounding the fire, helping to dampen the lightning-caused blaze, Wandersee said.

Increased temperatures and winds will likely increase fire activity Thursday and Friday. Crews are preparing for the predicted increase.

Wandersee said it is likely that the fire will not be fully contained until a season-ending event happens such as snow. Drought and low snowpack contributed to the fire’s size: It was 136,713 acres as of Wednesday morning. Some 1,014 personnel have worked to bring the fire to 48% containment.

“As we’re increasing containment, it’s really important for folks to remember that the conditions are still ripe for new fires to start, especially as we’re going back into a trend of hot and dry and windier weather,” Wandersee said.

Little Giant fire – Okanogan County northwest of Leavenworth

The Little Giant fire, also sparked by lightning, has grown to 71,000 acres.

Red flag conditions of wind and dry weather spurred the fire’s growth, said Public Information Officer Mario Rossilli. The fire, 22 miles northwest of Leavenworth, is at 0% containment.

Several spot fires in the area moved to the northeast, with two combining across Lake Chelan, Rossilli said.

Hazardous air continues across the region and will persist.

Efforts are focused on establishing containment, but hot and dry conditions may cause the fire to spread.

“We’re looking at some weather that might be more favorable for fires,” Rossilli said.

Sinlahekin fire – Okanogan County near the town of Tonasket

The Sinlahekin fire, which sparked from lightning in a canyon near Blue Lake, grew significantly following winds on Saturday.

During the wind, the fire exceeded 100,000 acres, said Public Information Officer Isabelle Hoygaard. It was 117,078 acres as of Wednesday morning.

Forward progression has been stopped on several sides of the fire, but growth has been seen near Loomis.

“We have a lot of crews that are working actively to stop forward progression,” Hoygaard said.

While Level 3 evacuations remain in place, evacuations have lessened near Tonasket.

Hot and dry weather will lead to potential for significant fire activity throughout the next week.

Ptarmigan fire – Okanogan County northwest of the town of Mazama

The Ptarmigan fire is 17,278 acres and 0% contained as of Wednesday morning, with 166 personnel assigned to fight the blaze. A National Incident Management Organization team assumed command at 6 a.m. Wednesday .

The fire, also caused by lightning, has continued to push south, but “has not grown a lot” recently, said Public Information Officer Heather McLean.

Twenty miles northwest of Mazama, the fire is very remote. Due to its difficulty to access, it will likely continue burning until a season-ending event occurs, McLean said.

Efforts are focused on preparing for winds potentially pushing it towards Mazama and into other communities. Poor air quality has been seen in the Methow Valley because of the fire.

The fire season as a whole

There are currently 17 large fires in the region, said Washington Department of Natural Resources Communications Manager Ryan Rodruck. DNR has responded to 1,159 incidents across the state since July 28.

Hot and dry conditions are expected Friday and Saturday in Eastern Washington.

“They are not going to be as critical as the event on August 1st, but they will be potentially longer in duration,” Rodruck said.

These conditions have the potential to exacerbate existing fires and create new ones.

Washington is under two burn bans: one imposed by the governor that ends Sept. 30, and one imposed by DNR that will remain until otherwise posted and is dependent on weather conditions.

“Respect those burn bans where they are in place, and just be careful and safe,” Rodruck said.

Residents are advised to actively follow information on air quality and evacuations. Air quality information can be found at airnow.gov, while evacuation information can be found at county emergency management offices.