Single Publication

TONASKET, Wash. August 5, 2023 – Crews made significant progress yesterday afternoon and into the overnight hours increasing containment to 62 percent. The fire is now 16,428 acres burning on lands managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Spokane District—Bureau of Land Management west of Oroville, Wash.

Yesterday, during night shift operations, fire personnel performed road grading in the Blue Lake area.  Interior flare-ups of unburned fuels continued to be visible but posed little danger of spread. During the day, on the western portion, firefighters were engaged in securing dozer lines and mapping areas for repairs. On the eastern perimeter, crews continued to mop up and secure a 100-foot buffer around structures.

Today, on the eastern and southern perimeter crews will focus on repair of dozer lines and make further evaluation of needed repairs. To the northwest, spread potential remains high on this portion of the fire perimeter. Firefighters will be on patrol along the Loomis-Oroville Road and to the north toward Nighthawk border crossing. Rogue River Interagency Hotshots continue efforts to hold the line in check south of the Similkameen River.  Task forces have been developed for initial attack should any new fire starts occur. 

WEATHER:  Weather patterns are shifting over the next couple of days as a slow-moving system of precipitation moves up from the south. There is an increased chance of isolated thunderstorms that have the potential to produce short bursts of heavy rain if conditions align in the region. Daytime temperatures are expected to be warm and dry today but should drop a couple degrees due to the increased cloud cover expected to move into the region by the weekend.

SAFETY:   There is still active firefighting in the region and aerial resources are in use when conditions allow.  Boaters should be aware of helicopters dipping out of many lakes and ponds in the area and to remain clear when operations are occurring.

SMOKE: The northern winds will continue to bring smoke into the region, funneling down from Canada. Smoke may be dense at times, especially in the early morning, but should clear in the afternoon with more favorable wind flow. However, smoke may still linger in the valleys and result in fair to moderate visibility throughout the afternoon hours.

The British Columbia Wildfire Service is overseeing the fire on the Canadian side. For more information, please visit the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System at https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/home.

Evacuation levels have decreased in Okanogan County, but some road closures remain in place. For up-to-date information on wildfire closures and evacuations, follow Okanogan County Emergency Management at https://okanogancounty.org/government/emergency_management/