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A return to more seasonable weather is giving firefighters a window of opportunity to gain ground on the fire, but the fire is still moving north and east.   

In the area of Buffalo Lake, firefighters were able to advance line along the flank of the fire. While managers are feeling optimistic about this western edge, there is still work to do before the Level 3 Evacuation can be lifted for residents in this area. 

On the other side of the fire, fire spread is significantly affected by local winds in the late afternoon which can “pull” fire down the canyons towards the Sanpoil River. Despite protection efforts, structures were burned near French John Lake on Friday. The fire continues to creep around Mt.Tolman and has come to within ¾ mile of Jack Creek Road. Crews worked tirelessly on structure protection in this area and were supported by aerial resources. Other teams completed a dozer line around the town of Keller and put in hoses and sprinklers to help reinforce it. Firefighters are also scouting for areas to put another dozer line slightly further away from Keller creating an additional layer of protection for the community.  

Plans are underway for determining when to allow reentry into the burn once it is safe to do so. This includes making sure access roads are free from any dangerous trees, rocks and debris. Operations staff has a goal of opening the Manilla road by the end of the weekend.  

Forecasting models continue to indicate a chance that the fire is likely to reach the town of Keller sometime on Sunday. Direct attack on the fire in this area is challenging due to the steep terrain of Mt.Tolman. Additional Hot Shot Crews, who are more accustomed to working in rugged terrain, are arriving and will be a valuable asset in the execution of suppression plans. 

Level 3 evacuations remain in place and many roads remain closed in order to prioritize the lives of residents and firefighters. Personnel can fight fire aggressively in dangerous conditions when they can focus on protecting structures, building containment line, spraying water and establishing infrastructure without also worrying about the safety of community members. Getting life “back to normal” is a high priority, but the fire must be contained and dangers mitigated before that can happen. We appreciate the community’s respecting the road closures and evacuations. 

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 Wildfire 

The Bridge Creek Road opened today now that road hazards are complete. The 30 Mile road remains closed as firefighters are conducting burning operations along this northern boarder of the fire. Several resources have been moved from this fire to the Swawilla fire. Evacuations have been lifted. 

Additional Information and Maps at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/, https://www.facebook.com/CCTENV, https://www.facebook.com/CCTBroadcasts