Tacoma Creek fire 90% contained

CUSICK — After weeks of coordinated efforts and attentiveness, the Tacoma Creek fire was returned to local jurisdictions earlier this week, according to Northeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team public information officer Isabelle Hoygaard Reeser.

Caused by dry lightning during Labor Day weekend, the Tacoma Creek fire is located approximately 15 miles north of Cusick and has burned 3,960 acres. As of Saturday, Sept. 26 the fire was at 90% containment.

Hoygaard Reeser said local crews will continue to patrol the fire with local resources. Last week interagency crews continued to patrol and grid along the fire line, searching and destroying any remaining heat.

“Crews are pulling the last of the hose lays from the fire, backhauling it back to camp to be returned to local and regional cache,” Hoygaard Reeser said. “Over the last several days, crews have removed 12 miles of hose and 47 pumps.”

Last Saturday was the last operational shift for the incident management team and all remaining equipment and hose was backhauled to camp throughout the day. Crews demobilized Sunday and Monday, either reassigning to regional fires or returning to local districts.

“Safety as always is the top priority for our firefighters and the public,” Hoygaard Reeser said. “Internal smoke will be visible within the fire perimeter, especially as temperatures warm into the weekend. This is expected and fuels will continue to consume within the interior.”

All road closures adjacent to the fire have been lifted. Fire crews will still be utilizing roads and working along the fires edge. For those using the road system, Hoygaard Reeser advises them to drive slowly and avoid the fire perimeter so crews can safely complete their work. Batey-Bould Trail #306 crosses through the fire area and is not passable as it nears Tacoma Creek Road from the south and connects to the Little Pend Oreille Motorized Trail System to the north.

Local crews will continue to patrol the fire edge, monitoring internal fuels and ensuring safety along the fire line. For inquiries into visible smoke in the area, call NEWICC at 509685-6900.

“We ask the public to stay out of the fire area due to potential hazard,” Hoygaard Reeser said. “Fire-weakened trees within the interior can still fall, potential burned out stump holes present a risk of severe burns and tripping hazards can be obscured in ash.”

Hoygaard Reeser added that the Northeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team 1 is thankful to everyone in the surrounding communities for their support of the firefighters and team, and to the Kalispel Tribe for hosting the fire camp and Incident Command Post at the Pow Wow Grounds.

“It was all crucial to our success,” Hoygaard Reeser said.

The National Weather Service is forecasting rain this week, with highs in the upper sixties and lows in the lower thirties.

SOPHIA MATTICE-ALDOUS IS A MURROW NEWS FELLOW WORKING DIRECTLY WITH NEWSROOMS AT THE NEWPORT MINER AND RANGE MEDIA THROUGH A PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY. HER REPORTING IS AVAILABLE FOR USE VIA CREATIVE COMMONS WITH CREDIT.