FIRE REPORT: Yakima Valley Fire threatens city, Pioneer Fire swells again

MOSES LAKE — Evacuation advisories for the Yakima Valley town of Zillah were lowered Monday to Level 1 as crews battle the Beam Road Fire, which broke out Saturday afternoon. The fire was 42% contained at 8,542 acres and costs were estimated at $1.5 million, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. State firefighters were mobilized Saturday to battle the blaze, which spread quickly with high winds and dry grass, threatening homes, crops, main power lines and livestock.

The Pioneer Fire on the shores of Lake Chelan, about 30 miles northwest of Wenatchee, continues to grow and expanded to more than 3,800 acres as of Monday. Eight aircraft and 353 personnel were assigned to fight the fire located in an uninhabited area with steep terrain that hampered suppression efforts. The fire was human-caused, according to the Department of Natural Resources, but the precise cause is still under investigation.

These other fires were also burning in Washington on Monday, according to the NIFC:

• The Camas Road Fire in Wapato, about 11 miles southeast of Yakima, was 72 acres as of Monday. Information on containment and costs was not yet available.

• The Neff Road Fire, discovered Saturday about 20 miles northeast of Pasco, was 250 acres as of Monday. Information on costs and containment was not available.

• The Nisqually John Fire, discovered Friday morning about 10 miles northwest of Lewiston, Idaho, was fully contained Monday to 1,207 acres. The cause was unknown and costs were estimated at $211,297.

• The Rest Haven Fire in eastern suburban Yakima has burned 45 acres since it was discovered May 30. The fire was human caused and information on its containment and costs was not available Monday.

• The Stetson Fire, about 9 miles north of Yakima, was discovered May 19 and was still at 10 acres as of Monday. The cause of the fire was human activity. Information on containment and costs was not 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].