FIRE REPORT: Wind fuels wildfires in Sun Lakes

LAKE MOSES — Grant County Fire District 7 battled a wildfire June 1 in Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park, according to a release from the fire district.

Around 11 p.m., firefighters responded to a report of a vegetation fire in the park, according to the release. There, they found about four acres spreading at a moderate rate up a steep slope above the Vic Meyers Golf Course. A Level 1 evacuation order (be prepared to leave) was requested due to winds that were gusting to 25 miles per hour with gusts up to 35 miles per hour.

Fire Zone 7 responded with two brush engines, two tactical water tenders, one structure engine and a chief officer, according to the release. Help came from Grant County Emergency Management, Washington State Park Rangers and the State Parks Brush Engine. The teams remained on site until 4 a.m.

Five prescribed burns were underway in Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The largest, the Rustlers Gulch Fire, had been burning since May 13 and covered 250 acres.

These other fires were burning in Washington on Friday, according to NCIF:

• The Stetson Fire, about 9 miles north of Yakima, was discovered May 19 and has burned 10 acres. The fire was human caused and information on its containment and costs was not available.

• The River View Fire, discovered Friday morning about 3 miles north of Yakima, was 10 acres as of Friday afternoon. The fire was caused by human activity. Information on containment and costs was not available.

• The Rest Haven Fire, just two miles southeast of the River View Fire in eastern suburban Yakima, has burned 45 acres since it was discovered May 30. The fire was human caused and no information on its containment and costs was available.

A few other fires are reported across the state but burned less than 10 acres and are not included in this report. The majority are less than 1 acre.

Joel Martin can be reached by email at [email protected].