Crews Fighting Wash. Fire Get Assist From Weather

WENATCHEE, Wash. -- A dry cold front that blew into the region late Friday has helped clear smoke out of the upper Wenatchee River valley and should help lift the inversion that has been holding toxic smoke in the Wenatchee area for the past week.

The heavy smoke had suppressed fire activity, but made it impossible to use air support on the fires, said Mick Mueller, Wenatchee Complex spokesman.

"We haven't even been able to do any observation on the Poison Fire and Tripp Canyon," Mueller said Saturday. Clearing in the upper valley near Cashmere will allow observation planes to fly over the area and size up the situation so a strategy can be developed to fight the fire.

Observation planes will also be taking a close look at the Forest Ridge area, east of Wenatchee, and the First Creek area near Lake Chelan's south shore. Those are both areas of potential fire growth, he said.

"People should see more helicopter work this weekend," Mueller said.

Information officer Chuck Turley said lifting of the smoke allowed tanker planes to make several retardant drops Saturday as well.

"The wind is always a double-edged sword. It blew out the smoke so we could do more air work, but it also fanned the fire," he said.

A plume of smoke that shot up Saturday afternoon is probably from new fire called the Basalt Peak Fire north of Lake Wenatchee, Turley said. That fire is about 100 acres.

About six homes in Tripp Canyon, off Mission Creek Road, were given Level 3 evacuation notices Saturday afternoon when the Poison Fire crested over a ridge and began moving downhill. The homes were previously at Level 2. Level 3 evacuation notices -- meaning residents should leave -- also remain in effect for about 87 homes in Castle Heights, Kings Court, Canyonside, Lindville Drive and Queens Court area in No. 2 Canyon, and for about 40 homes west of Sage Hills Drive.

The Friday night cold front along with another mild cold front that was due in Saturday night were expected to lift the inversion and allow heat to vent from the valley, added fire spokesman Randy Shepard.

Light winds could increase fire activity, but the clearing will allow observation planes and helicopters to get into fire areas and do a better job. As promised by Gov. Chris Gregoire on a stop in Wenatchee Thursday, two National Guard helicopters arrived Friday, bringing the total helicopter count on the Wenatchee Complex to 11.

Nearly 1,300 firefighters are now working on the Wenatchee Complex Fire. Resources include 32 fire crews, 152 engines from all over the state and 12 dozers.

Helicopters may move from Pangborn Memorial Airport to staging areas in Leavenworth and the Chelan Airport.

An additional fire camp was set up Saturday at Entiat City Park for resources assigned to the First Creek and Byrd Canyon fires.

A rumor posted on Facebook Friday night that a structure in the Wenatchee area had burned is untrue, Shepard said. Observers did a thorough check of the area this morning.

"There were no structures lost. We want to be very cautious about spreading information about things that didn't happen," he said.

Here's an update on each of the Wenatchee Complex Fires in Chelan County as of noon Saturday: Total fire acreage is about 33,000 acres, 17 percent contained.

Canyons Fire: 8,000 acres, 25 percent contained.

Firefighters worked through Friday night and Saturday morning to dig, doze and backburn additional firelines along the east end of the fire where canyon residences were threatened. Burnout activity has also created a strong buffer between No. 1 Canyon and No. 2 Canyon.

Peavine Fire: 5,200 acres, 5 percent contained.

Fire crews worked along Forest Service Road 9712 to move the fire away from structures in that area. The fire is southwest of Wenatchee in the upper Mission Creek/Devil's Gulch area and is burning in shrub and pine forest.

Poison Fire: 3,000 acres, 10 percent contained.

Crews worked around houses along Mission Creek Road and Tripp Canyon near Cashmere to reinforce buffer lines. Friday, crews worked on containment lines along the fire's west and northwest flanks to keep it from moving into Brender and Brisky Canyons. Fire crested a ridge and began backing down into Tripp Canyon Saturday afternoon, forcing Level 3 evacuation of six homes.

Byrd Fire Complex: 14,000 acres, 45 percent contained.

It was a quiet night on the Byrd Fire between Entiat and Chelan, Shepard said. Crews will be reinforcing lines today. Containment is expected within the near future. Mopup may be turned over to local fire districts so interagency crews can move on to other fires, Shepard said.

First Creek: 1,278 acres, 5 percent containment.

Fast moving flames on rocky terrain caused problems for hotshot crews Friday. Crews will try to establish lines around flanks that threaten homes along Lake Chelan's south shore. A crew of tree fallers has been called in to remove trees that could fuel the fire. The crew will also help establish fire lines.

Pyramid Fire: 317 acres, zero containment.

Klone Fire: 227 acres, zero containment.

These two smaller fires north of Entiat are unmanned and are growing in size. Shepard said crews will likely be sent to them today. Several other small fires totaling about 500 acres are burning in the area.

Douglas County and Okanogan County fires update

Barker Canyon Complex fires: 92,000 total acres, 79 percent contained.

Fire crews are mopping up the 75,000-acre Leahy Fire and 17,000-acre Barker Canyon fires. The national Type 2 Incident Command team will now turn command over to a Type 4 team of local fire crews, said fire spokeswoman Cindy Bork. Crews will continue to camp at Electric City.

"We're still gridding the area to make sure everything is out, but with 92,000 acres, it's a huge perimeter," Bork said Saturday morning. Fire crews did find a couple of hot spots near residential area Friday, but quickly cooled them down.

"This fire is on its way out, but it's not over until it rains," she said.

Okanogan County

Okanogan Complex fires: 3,611 total acres total on three fires, 10 percent contained.

Clearing air Saturday morning is favorable for air operation on the Buckhorn Fire, northwest of Methow, and the Leecher Fire, northeast of Methow. The smaller 160-acre Hunter fire is now in mop up stages.

Overnight burnout strategies were successful on the Leecher Fire. Evacuation notices to 24 residences in the Buckhorn Fire area are still in effect. No structures have been lost on any of the fires.

Copyright 2012 - The Wenatchee World, Wash.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service