Single Publication

Update for Swawilla and Bridge Creek Fires
•    Evacuation areas remain at a Level 3 around the Swawilla Fire.
•    Highway 155 remains open.  See chart for closures.
See Inciweb Site for locations and evacuation boundaries.

The Incident Team will host a community meeting on Friday, July 26 at 7pm at the Nespelem Head Start Center, 19 Wenatchi St.

Swawilla Fire

FIRE ACTIVITY: Fortunately, Thursday’s forecast winds were not as strong as predicted and the fire was less active than feared. High temperatures and low humidity did allow it to grow, just more modestly. More seasonable weather with a lighter west/southwest wind should be around through the weekend. The line along the Swawilla Basin, at the heel of the fire, is considered contained. Along the Peter Dan Road, firefighters were able to do point protection around structures and were supported by retardant drops. The fire made one attempt to cross the Peter Dan road and was stopped by a Type 1 hot shot crew. On the other side of the fire, flames pushed against the lower Manilla Road but did not cross it. Fire moved into some of the drainages southwest of Keller and made its way to the top of Mt.Tolman. It is now backing down the north side towards Meadow Creek. Fuels on this side of the mountain are greener, slowing progression.

The priority of fire management continues to be life and structure protection, however the incoming, more moderate weather after the cold front, provides a good opportunity for more direct attack on the fire. Crews are scouting for terrain features, such as old roads and dozer lines, to continue containment line efforts to reduce further spread to the east.

More resources are showing up daily and some are able to shift from the Bridge Creek Fire to support actions on the Swawilla Fire. A night shift and a swing shift are in place allowing for around-the-clock work on the line. These firefighters, engines, machinery and firefighting infrastructure require more space to house so the Forward Operating Base (FOB) has moved from Keller to a 20 acre camp near the intersection of Agency Cutoff Road and Cache Creek Road. The Incident Command Post remains at the Nespelem Community Center.

Even with the favorable change in the weather, forecasting models still indicate a chance that the fire will reach the town of Keller, push towards the Cache Creek Road, and impact the Buffalo Lake area. For this reason, evacuations remain in place. Community leaders are regularly evaluating these orders with the incident management team. The team appreciates the community’s patience with this process.

An evacuation center is open at the Lake Roosevelt High School gym in Coulee Dam. The shelter at the Paschal Sherman Indian School in Omak is full. Keller Ferry is open only for limited service to assist with evacuations.

Bridge Creek Fire
The Bridge Creek Fire is looking good. Firefighters are monitoring the line and working to extinguish hot spots on the east side of the fire. Opening the Bridge Creek Road is a priority and crews are focusing significant time in removing fire weakened trees that may fall on Bridge Creek Road and threaten the safety of the public when the road opens.