Evacuation alerts possible as US fire chars its way toward Canadian border

The Stickpin wildfire burning in northern Ferry County, Washington, 4.5 kilometres south of the Canada-United States border (near Grand Forks) is now estimated at 16,830 hectares.

Reduced visibility means aircraft have been grounded and the thick haze makes it more hard to spot new fires, Skrepnek said. “The BC Wildfire Service is working closely with fire agency representatives in the United States to coordinate wildfire response for this incident”, they said.

Fire activity had been relatively quiet Sunday. The fires had burned more than 375 square miles by Sunday morning, and the fires were about 10 percent contained.

“But I have my life and I have my home”, he said.

Donald Smith was treated and released from a hospital the day of the incident, while Reed Callis was kept overnight and released the next day, officials said.

Last week, three firefighters were killed fighting the Twisp fire in Okanogan County.

The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary has also said evacuation alerts could be issued if winds kick up, and Bernard says that is forcing firefighters to redouble efforts on the Paulson Pass fire, 15 kilometres northeast of Christina Lake. Look for opportunities to burn off, strengthen control lines…

The fire in the Okanogan Complex, near where Rusk trained, is one of the state’s worst, having burned 239,733 acres and gained 12,527 acres since Saturday, reported InciWeb, a fire reporting website. Omdal says some of the land within the fire lines is still on fire, but other sections have been tamed.

“We have a herculean amount of work ahead of us”, he said. Infrared mapping found the fires spread about 19 square miles Saturday evening.

Fire spokeswoman Suzanne Flory says there could be some explosive fire growth Sunday if a cap of smoke lifts from Okanogan County, as has been forecast.

The massive cloud of smoke began to lift over Washington wildfires on Sunday. Flory says it’s similar to what happens when the flue is opened on a fireplace.

Meanwhile, officials have downgraded some evacuation notices, allowing some people to return to their homes.

Sarah Miller, a spokeswoman with Okanogan County Emergency Management, said residents have been warned to stay ready to leave at any time and to not drive around looking at the fires.

Otherwise in Washington, a new firefighting mobilization center is being set up at Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane to help fight wildfires. The official tally of three homes and 33 other structures lost was very preliminary, he said. The base will be the staging area for 20 large fire engines and 10 water takers and will be run by a team from San Diego, Calif.

“Getting rid of collectable materials around their homes, wood piles, cleaning out their gutters, pruning up their trees, and just generally maintaining the fire smart principles”.

“These new assets will provide an incredible assist for our firefighters throughout Eastern Washington”, Gov. Jay Inslee said.

The 17 states with wildfires are Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The wildfire has burned across more than 73 square miles of timber and brush left parched by the state’s extended drought.