Firefighters keep Palisades Park fire west of Spokane from growing, evacuations reduced

Evacuation levels were reduced and firefighters established a hand line Saturday around the roughly 40-acre fire burning timber near Palisades Park west of Spokane.

Guy Gifford, spokesman for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, said the immediate evacuations issued for residents living in the area east of Government Way and in the Houston Road area were at Level 1, or “be alert,” Saturday night. More streets had been evacuated after the fire broke out Friday, but those orders were called off by Saturday.

Crews kept the fire in its perimeter Friday night into Saturday, Gifford said. The fire was burning 41½ acres and was 0% contained Saturday night.

Over 100 firefighters, 16 fire engines, two tender trucks and a helicopter battled the blaze Saturday. Gifford said two engines were expected to be on the scene Saturday night into Sunday, and similar resources deployed Saturday would probably be in place Sunday.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.