Colulmbia River Road Wildfire August 17, 2008 1700
Incident: Columbia River Road Wildland Fire
Released: 8/17/2008
The Columbia River Road wildfire is now 100% contained. This means that the fire is encircled by a fireline, but is not under control. There is still fire burning in the interior of the fire area. Moreover, there are still hot spots that are an immediate threat to the control line.
With temperatures so high, humidity so low, and fuels so dry, this fire still requires attention and caution. Efforts continue to extinguish, cool, and "mop up" a 200-foot barrier along the fire perimeter. Care must be taken to protect firefighters from the effects of high temperature, such as dehydration, extreme fatigue, and heat exhaustion, as they work.
The 20 threatened homes in the Kartar area remain under an Evacuation Level 1 advisement. The evacuation advisement will be cancelled at 6 pm tonight. Residents are aware of the fire and are not restricted from their homes.
The Columbia River Road will open on Monday August 18 at 10 am between Omak ( at Cameron Lake Road) and Nespelem ( Schoolhouse Loop Road). The Coyote Canyon Road is closed at Highway 155. Highway 155 remains open. The roads leading into the fire area from Highway 155 are all closed to non-residents. This includes the area from Coyote Canyon Road to Haley Creek Road. These roads continue to have high levels of fire traffic and there are hazards from the fire itself. The closures are continually being reassessed.
Starting Monday, August 18, information about the Columbia River Road Wildfire and road closures will be available from the Mt. Tolman Fire Center at (509) 634-3100.
Coordination is occurring between the Colville Confederated Tribes, State, Federal, and local agencies to ensure that this fire is safely brought under control.
