Local News

Pickens North Fire 600 Acres

Aug 25, 2016

Fire Crews have a line around nearly all of the Pickens North Fire today. Okanogan County Emergency Manager Maurice Goodall says there is about a quarter mile section on the back side of the fire that remains to be lined.

The fire was reported last night to be 250 acres in size, but Goodall said after daylight today crews were able to do a better job of mapping that fire and it is now estimated at 600 acres.

A type 3 incident management team has taken control of that fire from local crews and has ordered additional resources. Goodall said they are going to push hard to get this under control while the weather conditions are favorable. A cold front is expected to move into the area on Saturday that will bring strong gusty winds.

Currently there are 2 dozers and 2 helicopters working the fire with strike teams expected to arrive today.

The fire was originally reported as a vehicle fire near the intersection of Pickens Valley Road and Round-Up Road near Ellisforde about 5pm on Tuesday and quickly spread to grass and brush..

Goodall said there were no structures lost and no injuries reported. There was a medical aid call this morning, but that was not a result of the fire. Goodall said they did not issue evacuation notices last night because they had deputies in the area going door to door notifying residents.

Also Wednesday, there was a small fire in the Cameron Lake area, however crews were able to quickly extinguish that fire. Goodall did not have an estimate of the size of that fire but said it was very small. They are not sure as to the cause of that fire.