Single Publication

Incident Commander: Kevin Stock

Fire Information Phone: 208-713-2740

Media Fire Information Phone: 208-891-7491

Email: 2023.NewellRoad@firenet.gov

Facebook: facebook.com/NewellRoadFire

Inciweb: inciweb.wildlfire.gov/newellroad

Evening Update, July 28, 2023

Total people assigned: 283
Engines: 14
Dozers: 4
Handcrews: 4
Water Tenders: 6
Skidgen: 4
Overhead: 101
Type 1 Helicopter: 2
Type 2 Helicopter: 2
Air Tankers: As Needed

Estimated size: 60,896 acres

Containment: 94%

Start Date: July 21, 2023

Area of Origin: Klickitat County near Newell Road

Cause: Under Investigation

Structures Damaged: Currently being assessed

Fire Update: Fire activity remained very quiet today, with firefighters primarily focused on suppression repair work on dozer lines, mopping up of hotspots, and strengthening the fire’s containment lines. Walking the fire’s perimeter with handheld GPS units and a flight over the unburned center of the fire refined the perimeter and provided for more accurate acreage count. Fire containment is now at 94%, but smoke coming from the interior of the fire (sometimes miles inside containment lines) is likely to be visible.

Tonight’s planned activity: The spike camp at Bickleton School will be closing at the end of shift today. All resources will report to Goldendale this evening. Fire managers continue to demob resources as suppression efforts progress, releasing them back to their home units or for reassignment to other fires as needed. However, sufficient resources will remain on scene to patrol and monitor the fire.

Transfer of command of the fire operation planned for Sunday: The Type 2 Incident Management Team currently on the fire will be transferring management back to local fire and agency resources on Sunday morning. Northwest Incident Management Team 8 wishes to thank all of the fire resources for their efforts.

Evacuations: Evacuation levels have been adjusted by the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office as of 12 p.m. today, including reduced levels in many areas. For the latest evacuation information, please see: https://www.klickitatcounty.org/249/Emergency-Management.

Road closure updates: As of 12:00 PM today, Klickitat County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) updated the road closure conditions related to the Newell Road Fire. Please refer to the Klickitat DEM Facebook and Website for the most current closure information: https://www.klickitatcounty.org/249/Emergency-Management.

Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): TFR remains in place over the Newell Road Fire and will be released at end of shift tomorrow

Sheltering: The American Red Cross in Goldendale is on standby. A second shelter, at Grandview Middle School, has been closed in response to evacuation level changes