Whitmore Fire update issued

The Whitmore Fire is located on the Colville Reservation south of Omak Lake and west of Nespelem, WA. The Incident Command Post at Nespelem Community Center is closed to all but essential personnel to help ensure the health and safety of firefighters and community members.

Operations

Yesterday, fire fighters took advantage of cooler temperatures, higher moisture levels, and less active fire behavior to secure stretches of fireline. The southwest to southeast borders of the fire along Columbia River Road experienced no fire spread and firefighters conducted mop-up operations successfully. Today, resources will be patrolling that area.

Along the northern portion of the fire, including Kartar Creek Road, aircraft assisted crews in securing the perimeter. Dozers and crews constructed containment lines and conducted burnout operations north of Coyote Creek Road. This work will continue into operations for today and tonight. Into the night, crews conducted burnout operations to strengthen containment lines along the northwest border of the fire near Lower Coyote Creek Road. Today, additional aircraft and other resources will arrive. More resources have been assigned specifically for structure protection along SR155. Firefighters remain focused keeping the fire as small as possible.

Evacuations

The Columbia River Road corridor and Kartar Valley evacuation levels have been reduced to Level 2. Level 2 evacuation orders will also remain in place for Colville Agency, the community of Nespelem, and the SR155 corridor from Colville Agency north up to the Mission.

An evacuation shelter has been set up at the Paschal Sherman Indian School at 169 North End Omak Lake Rd in Omak. The Nespelem Rodeo Grounds on Schoolhouse Loop Road are available as an unstaffed animal shelter for those affected by the Whitmore Fire.

Call (509) 634-2472 with all evacuation questions.

Road Closures

Coyote Creek Road and Columbia River Road are closed due to utility

work on powerlines.