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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Brush fire along U.S. Highway 195 causes roadblock, Level 1 evacuations; updates on nearby fires burning in region

A battalion chief fire department vehicle sits in front of the Mullen Hill fire southwest of Spokane on Sunday. (Courtesy of Ryan Rodruck)
By Cannon Barnett cannonb@spokesman.com

Update: Spokane County Fire District 8 reported at 9:50 p.m. Sunday via X that all evacuation notices have been lifted for the Mullen Hill/195 fire.

As several regional wildfires spread over the weekend, another ignited along U.S. Highway 195 on Sunday, resulting in the north- and southbound lanes to shut down.

The Mullen Hill, or 195 fire, triggered Level 1 “Be Ready” evacuations along Highway 195 southwest of Spokane, forcing closure of the highway.

The fire, which began Sunday afternoon, spread to an estimated 10 acres off Mullen Road, according to Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Ryan Rodruck. Ground units and aircraft are being deployed, and the crew is making “good progress,” Rodruck said Sunday evening.

As of 8:45 Sunday night, the southbound lanes were open, with northbound lanes between Excelsior and Mullen Hill roads remaining closed, according to an email from the Washington State Patrol.

Upper Cemetery fire

The Upper Cemetery fire, located near Palisades Park and downtown Spokane, was occupying around 44 acres as of Sunday evening, Rodruck said, adding the public may continue to see smoke at the site as debris piles burn. However, the fire is no longer spreading.

Gwen fire

Located near Juliaetta, Idaho, the Gwen fire has consumed 28,804 acres as of Sunday. The Idaho Department of Lands wrote at 9 a.m. that the fire was 0% contained.

Swawilla fire

The Swawilla fire, located on the Colville Indian Reservation, has consumed 46,324 acres as of Sunday, according to the Department of Natural Resources website. The InciWeb website states that the fire is 26% contained, and that the Coulee Dam shelter is closed as of Sunday.

Columbia Basin fire The Columbia Basin fire is located about 91/2 miles southwest of Cheney and has spread to about 250 acres as of Sunday. Rodruck said that crews have made “excellent progress” on stopping the spread of the fire by removing hazardous trees. The evacuation zones were downgraded Sunday.