Tri-Cities fire danger soars with heat and wind. 2 blazes already along highways
The wind in the Tri-Cities is expected to pick up and when combined with the heat will create a frightening risk for a big wildfire.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the Tri-Cities, starting at 11 a.m. Wednesday until 10 p.m. Thursday. The warning means that the high temperatures, low humidity and stronger winds will seriously increase the fire danger.
The high temperatures and dry weather have sucked away any moisture left in the sagebrush and grasses that dominate the wild lands of the Columbia Basin. Benton County Fire Capt. Ron Fryer said that has prepped the fuel that could feed a large fire.
Forecasts are predicting up to 14 mph sustained winds, with gusts up to 20 mph Wednesday and Thursday night.
That comes after firefighters put out two wildfires that started about an hour apart along Tri-City highways on Tuesday afternoon.
The first started shortly before 1 p.m. along Interstate 82 just south of the Coffin Road exit. After about an hour, Benton County Fire District 1 asked for a wildland strike team so they could switch firefighters on and off the blaze because of the heat, said Fryer.
After about three hours, firefighters contained the flames to 10 acres along the highway. It’s not clear what started it.
As firefighters were still battling that fire, sparks from some bad brakes on a commercial truck ignited dry grasses along Highway 397 near Bowles Road in Finley about 2:20 p.m.
Benton County Fire District 1 firefighters battled the brush fire that spread across two acres behind the Finley General Store, while Kennewick firefighters fought the truck fire.
No one was hurt in either fire.
The extreme heat is creating extra challenges for fire crews.
Fryer said the district has a bus that it sends out to give firefighters a chance to get some Gatorade, water and high-protein snacks.
“They were pulling people off of the line more often,” Fryer said.
Fire danger
Fryer urged people to be extremely careful. That includes avoiding pulling onto grassy areas if you have car trouble and not to throw burning cigarettes out of car windows.
“We just want everyone to be safe,” he said.
With the approach of the Fourth of July, the increased fire danger has people asking whether fireworks sales should be canceled.
Fireworks already are banned in Kennewick, Prosser, Connell and unincorporated Franklin County. They are allowed with restrictions in Pasco, Richland, West Richland and Benton County.
Several people have contacted West Richland city officials about putting an emergency ban in place, but it’s not something they have the power to do, they say.
Restrictions must be approved a year in advance.
Gov. Jay Inslee could put an emergency order in place to stop fireworks sales, but there are no plans to issue that order, according to the governor’s office.
People could legally start using firework starting on Monday.
West Richland officials say they have an ordinance that allows a ban if there aren’t enough firefighters to provide coverage in the area, but that isn’t the case.
“We understand the concern and ask that our residents think safety first when choosing how to celebrate Independence Day this year,” West Richland officials said in a Facebook post.
This story was originally published June 30, 2021 at 12:58 PM.