Local News

Stickpin Fire Update

Ferry County Sheriff Raymond Maycumber

Aug 14, 2015

At yesterdays fire meeting Ferry County was informed of a fire located on the Kettle Crest (Mt. Leona), which is also known as the Stickpin Fire. As of noon yesterday August 13, 2015 the estimated damage was 2,000 acres. The fire was presumed to have been caused by lightning strikes. By 4:00 pm on August 13, 2015 yesterday evening the fire presumed to have grown to 5,000 acres. By 7:00am this morning August 14, 2015 the fire has been presumed to have grown to 18,000 acres and still growing.

US Forest service Type II team has been put into place as of 12:00pm today. All three Fire District Chiefs have been made aware of the fire and heavily responding to the best of their abilities. State Fire Mobilization has been ordered to help support our local fire fighters to help contain the Stickpin Fire. Mobilization specialists from the Fire Protection Bureau have ordered three wildland strike teams. We are currently dealing with high winds and a dust storm projected until 11:00pm this evening. At this direct time there are no resources for air support due to other fires in Washington State. Support will be transitioned immediately as it becomes available. They currently have three teams engaged upon the St. Peters Creek area to help contain the NW corner of the fire area. As more fire crews and resources are available they will be assigned to this fire.

The major portion of this fire is located in the Northern Curlew Fire District. At 9:00pm on August 13, 2015, the evacuation level was set at LEVEL 1 for the following areas; Boulder, Tonasket Creek, Deer Creek, Long Alec Creek, North Fork St. Peters Creek, Aeneas Creek, Lambert Creek and Herron Creek. By 7:00am on August 14, 2015 the following areas were changed to LEVEL II; Upper Long Alec Creek, Otis Road, and Upper Aeneas Creek and North Fork St. Peters Creek

At approximately 3:15pm on August 14, 2015, Boulder Pass has been CLOSED on both ends of the pass, and Long Alec Road has been bumped to a LEVEL III Evacuation. The Ferry County Sheriff’s Office highly recommends that anyone in the Long Alec Road are to please evacuate as soon as possible.

Red Cross has been staged at the Republic Elementary School with the assistance of the Ferry County Search and Rescue. If you need any help please call 911. If you would like fire information you can obtain that from our local US Forest Service at 509-775-7400 or the Type II Team Public Information Officer at 360-915-3821.