A lightning strike-induced fire in Okanogan County has grown to 62,872 acres with no containment as of Sunday night, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The Kaiser Canyon fire broke out around 6 a.m. Thursday a mile from Nespelem, Washington, on the Colville Reservation, after a lightning strike. It continued to grow due to flashy fuels and strong wind gusts, a news release from Northeast Washington Interagency Management Team 3 said.
Around 500 people deployed on the fire as of Sunday. First responders worked Saturday to protect structures, manage heat pockets, lay dozer lines and build containment lines. Sunday crews will focus on life, property and firefighter safety. Buffalo Lake Road, Rebecca Lake, Belvedere, Nespelem and the Columbia River Campground are under Level 3 “go now” evacuations.
More than 1,000 people have been displaced and 800 structures threatened, according to previous reporting from The Spokesman-Review. The Seattle Times reported Sunday that the town of Nespelem “is intact but has bee n surrounded by flames less than 2 miles away” and that while no injuries were reported Saturday, at least 10 structures were destroyed.
The Spokesman-Review – Metered Site
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