Fire crews contain large human-caused fire

Katie Teachout, The Journal | Last updated Apr 24, 2020 12:54pm0

Photo courtesy of Grant County Sheriff's Office count

A Department of Natural Resources helicopter is seen fighting the wildfire in Adams County, with Grant County Fire Districts 10 and 11 water tenders in the foreground.

OTHELLO - A fire that grew to an estimated 150 to 200 acres after being started on private property was initially contained around 7 p.m. Thursday, April 23.

Adams County Fire District 5 Chief Gary Lebacken said the call for the fire came in at 1:19 p.m., and about a dozen District 5 volunteers and paid staff turned out.

"We had some mutual aid from Grant County Districts 10 and 11, the Bureau of Land Management, Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife," Lebacken said. The Department of Natural Resources provided one helicopter.

Lebacken said the fire was human-caused on private property, with the largest percentage of it occurring on government ground, including the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge near Othello.

Author Bio

Katie Teachout, Editor

Katie Teachout is the editor of The Ritzville Adams County Journal. Previously, she worked as a reporter at The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle, the Oroville Gazette-Tribune, Northern Kittitas County Tribune and the Methow Valley News. She is a graduate of Western Washington University.