Ford wildfire hits 550 acres, threatens 60 homes

Evacuations were ordered in southern Stevens County as a wildfire that started early Wednesday evening rapidly grew to about 700 acres.

The fire, near the intersection of state Highways 231 and 291, south of Ford was about 30 acres in the early evening Wednesday.

By 9 p.m. the estimated size was between 650 and 700 acres and the plume of smoke had spread east of Spokane.

Sixty homes were threatened by the fire Wednesday evening. None had burned.

Debbie Benton-Baker was told she should leave her home of 20 years on Corkscrew Canyon Road, but she was still there at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

“It’s still about 2 miles away,” she said. “We’ve got sprinklers up everywhere. We’ve got a sprinkler on top of the house.”

Benton-Baker said she has a wide defensible space around her home. Her van was packed and ready to leave, though, just in case.

“If it gets bad we’ll leave,” she said. “It’s kind of scary.”

Residents living on state Highway 231 between state Highway 291 and Corkscrew Canyon Road were ordered out of their homes Wednesday evening, said Guy Gifford of the Department of Natural Resources.

The Red Cross opened a shelter to assist residents at Lakeside High School, 5909 Highway 291.

Those living on Highway 291 between Corkscrew Canyon and Highway 231 were advised to be prepared to evacuate with an hour’s notice, Gifford said, as were residents on Corkscrew Canyon Road.

There were 100 firefighters from multiple fire districts and DNR on scene, as well as seven aircraft dumping water and fire retardant, Gifford said.

The Washington State Patrol closed Highway 231 between Corkscrew Canyon Road and Highway 291. Corkscrew Canyon Road was also closed between the two highways.

Gifford said he had no information on the cause of the fire.