Firefighting efforts continue in Okanogan County; 230 Yard fire mostly contained

Crews continue to fight fires on both sides of the Columbia River near the Grand Coulee Dam.

Officials on the east side of the river are having difficulty containing the Elmer City fire just east of Elmer City in Okanogan County due to the challenging terrain of the river and strong winds that rolled in Monday afternoon. Officials said the fire may have started when gusty winds rattled adjacent power lines, causing them to touch and spark.

Steve Laramie, duty officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, said the fire had burned through part of the city on Sunday while the fire continues to burn a quarter of a mile away. But no homes were damaged, and the only structure to be destroyed was an outbuilding – likely a shed or barn with nobody inside. No injuries have been reported.

Weather was a large factor in the fire pushing south toward town of Coulee Dam, Laramie said. Flames were visible from the town, but crews were able to hold a fire line around the area.

“We don’t have it completely locked down yet, but we do have a good portion locked down,” Laramie said.

As of 9 p.m. the fire had burned 5,500 acres.

Okanogan County officials said crews built a line around three-quarters of the fire by Monday morning, and by Monday evening, the line had stayed about the same size. As of Monday evening, the fire was 0-percent contained.

According to the Okanogan County Department of Emergency Management, the fire burned several power poles, knocking out electricity for a few customers of Nespelem Valley Electric. Laramie said Monday evening that power has been returned to some customers. A section of state Route 155 near the dam was closed but has since reopened.

Laramie said state officials have been called in to relieve local firefighters at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Meanwhile, on the west side of the river, officials are reporting the 230 Yard fire, which garnered its name due to its proximity to the switchyard for the transmission lines that distribute power generated by the Grand Coulee Dam, is 75-percent contained as of Monday evening.

The fire, which is 207 acres in size, originally threatened homes and structures, but crews were able to work throughout Sunday night to protect them. Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones said on Facebook that fire crews expect to have the blaze fully contained Wednesday. Level 1 evacuation orders were sent out Sunday evening but have since been removed, Jones said.

The Grand Coulee Dam School District canceled classes Monday but said it would resume a normal schedule Tuesday morning. The district will not have internet, but parts of Grand Coulee are reporting some working phone lines.