Cooler weather helping battle fires in state’s east

Cooler, damp weather was proving helpful to firefighters battling wildfires that have blackened more than 11 square miles in Eastern Washington, a Northwest Interagency Coordination Center official said Saturday.

“What we’re looking out for today is the potential for some winds,” said center spokesman Chris Strebig.

The biggest fires, near Lake Chelan in northcentral Washington and on the Colville Indian Reservation in the northeast part of the state, had charred nearly than 7,000 acres, Strebig said.

Ten helicopters, eight hot-shot crews and 11 ground crews were fighting the 1,921-acre Pot Peak fire Saturday, which grew by about 150 acres overnight.

It was burning on Forest Service land about 15 miles northwest of Chelan in the 25 Mile Creek drainage, but was not considered an immediate threat to homes or campgrounds.

“The fire continues to burn in steep, difficult terrain with limited access,” Strebig said.

Crews were focusing on burnout operations – setting fires to burn brush, grass and other fuels – and there was no word on when they might have the blaze contained.

Fire bosses expected to contain the Hopkins Canyon complex of fires late today on the Colville reservation. The blazes seared more than 5,036 acres of brush and grasses, and containment lines had been dug around about 80 percent of its perimeter Saturday, Strebig said midday Saturday.

“They’re going to be reinforcing existing fire line today while mop-up operations continue,” he said.

In a remote corner of the Pasayten Wilderness, nearly 40 firefighters were monitoring the progress of the 150-acre Freezeout fire, about two miles south of the Canadian border and near the Ross Lake National Recreation Area. It was about 17 percent contained.

“They’re not expecting it to get much bigger,” Strebig said.

All the fires were being fought with help from helicopters dropping water and fire-retardant chemicals. There were no reported injuries and no structures had been burned.