In July 2021, 86-year-old Donna McArthur got a cellphone alert to evacuate her home immediately. From her dining room overlooking Latah Valley, she could see.
Two fires burning in Eastern Washington are gaining momentum as several departments attempt to contain the flames.
Lightning fires are becoming more common and are potentially the biggest threats to small farming towns in Eastern Washington after the light rain season, said Ryan Scharnhorst, Pullman Fire Department assistant chief of operations.
“The ground conditions are exactly where they need to be at when lightning strikes,” Scharnhorst said.
The Lick Creek Fire is about 28 miles southwest of Clarkston. It is believed to have started on July 7 as a result of a dry lightning storm, according to the Incident Information System website.
Andrus Fire in eastern Washington 100% contained msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Updated on July 9.
Washington has seen record-breaking temperatures over the past weeks, which have left the state very dry, according to Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz.
With a high fire danger in the state, a statewide ban on outdoor burning, campfires, the use of charcoal briquettes and prescribed burns on all forest lands within DNR s fire protection stands from July 9 through Sept. 30.
After more early-season wildfires than ever, state prepares for long summer mynorthwest.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mynorthwest.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.