Washington Firefighters Battle 41,000-Acre Blaze

Aug. 10, 2005
Firefighters battling a 41,000-acre wildfire in southeastern Washington said they had established good lines around three sides of it and were working to hold their gains against the wind.

POMEROY, Wash. (AP) -- Firefighters battling a 41,000-acre wildfire in southeastern Washington said they had established good lines around three sides of it and were working to hold their gains against the wind.

The fire was moving more slowly Tuesday, although humidity remained low and temperatures were in the mid-90s, said Earl Bassett, a fire crew spokesman. Officials said they had the fire about 35 percent contained.

More than 1,600 firefighters were working on the wildfire, which has destroyed more than 100 residences over the weekend. Officials said the structures included hunting cabins, vacation homes and pads for recreational vehicles.

The fire, which started Friday, continued to burn into rougher terrain in the Umatilla National Forest.

Elsewhere, nearly 850 people were fighting wildfires burning along Interstate 90 in western Montana near the Idaho border that had grown to 4,300 acres.

An air tanker was assigned to the Montana fires to help protect a major Bonneville Power Administration line that supplies electricity to the Pacific Northwest.

So far this year, wildfires have charred 5.1 million acres nationwide, compared to 5.6 million acres at the same time last year.

On the Net:

National Interagency Fire Center: www.nifc.gov

Copyright 2005 Associated Press

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Firehouse, create an account today!