Fire that burned 22.8 acres west of Cheney in ‘mop-up’ stage

A fire broke out Tuesday afternoon near the unincorporated community of Tyler.

Teri Bunce, the public affairs director for Spokane County Fire District 3, said they first received a report of the blaze at 1:12 p.m. Tuesday. As of 2:15 p.m. , the Malloy fire was 0% contained, Bunce said. By 4 p.m., crews on the 22.8-acre fire were working to mop up any remaining flames. Temperature, humidity and high winds all aided in the fire’s early and rapid growth.

Bunce said they had “a little over 30” firetrucks, helicopters and other fire resources tending to the fire at its peak.

A few hand crews and a couple of dozers stayed behind to clean up and assess the damage. Bunce said they’re currently searching for outbuildings and barns that were burned, but she said no homes or lives were lost.

The Spokane County Evacuation Address website listed the area between Malloy Prairie on the east and Harrison Road on the west as Level 3 “go now” evacuations. The space between 21002 S. Malloy Prairie on the south and 20122 S. Malloy Prairie on the north was also under “go now” evacuation orders as of 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Another fire near Cheney, known as the Grove fire, is no longer advancing, and Bunce said crews are now “making sure everything’s knocked down.” She estimated that fire reached about 3 acres.