Message 27156 in NEWS.USA
From: N3MEL
Date: Mon, 03 Aug 26 06:06:00 Z
Newsgroups: NEWS.USA
Subject: Washington State Wildfire Sitrep 03-08-26
Message-ID: <23095_N3MEL>
Path: N2NOV|KQ6UP|N3MEL
R:260803/0608z @:N2NOV.#RICH.NY.USA.NOAM $:23095_N3MEL
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PACKET BULLETIN MESSAGE
For: NEWS @ USA Bulletin #: 001
From: N3MEL/TPRFN
Date: 2026-08-03
Time: 02:00
Precedence: Flash
Subject: Washington State Wildfire Sitrep
Bulletin Message:
Executive Summary
Governor Bob Ferguson has declared a Statewide Wildfire Emergency and issued a statewide outdoor burn ban (effective through Se
ptember 30). Washington State is facing extreme fire weather driven by a fourth consecutive year of drought, dry fuels, high te
mperatures, and strong shifting winds.
A major fire outbreak in Eastern Washington (specifically around Spokane County) has prompted mass Level 3 ("GO NOW") evacuatio
ns and destruction of over 600 structures.
Statewide Situation Metrics
* Statewide Preparedness Level: Level 5 (National / Regional High Priority).
* Total Burned Area Year-to-Date: Over 425,000 acres across 1,000+ ignitions statewide.
* National Guard Mobilization: Washington National Guard deployed aviation units (helicopters) and 100+ personnel for hand-cre
w line construction.
Major Active Incidents
1. Spokane Area Fire Complex (Spokane County)
Rapidly spreading wind-driven ignitions that began August 1:
* Old Trails Fire: ~3,619 acres | 0% contained | Human-caused. Active crowning, short-range spotting, threatening northwest Sp
okane residential neighborhoods.
* Autumn Lane Fire: ~3,351 acres | 0% contained | Erratic winds, active torching/runs near Nine Mile Falls.
* Fairview Fire: ~1,056 acres | 0% contained | South of Mead.
* Impact: ~5,000 homes (~60,000 people) evacuated under Level 3 orders; ~600 homes and structures destroyed. Primary evacuatio
n shelter open at the Spokane Convention Center.
2. Central & Northern Washington Fires
* Kaiser Canyon Fire (Colville Reservation, Okanogan Co.): ~131,312 acres | 30% contained | Lightning-caused; currently the la
rgest active fire in WA State, burning aggressively in timber and rangeland.
* Sinlahekin Fire (Loomis State Forest, Okanogan Co.): ~73,794 acres | 0% contained | Lightning ignition.
* Little Giant Fire (Chelan Co.): ~25,209 acres | 0% contained | Burning in steep timber north of Lake Wenatchee; large plume
feeding regional smoke.
* Modrite Fire (Colville Reservation): ~22,673 acres | 27% contained.
* Ptarmigan Fire (Okanogan NF): ~12,000 acres | 0% contained | High-elevation wilderness fire along the Canadian border.
* Hudspeth Fire (Stevens Co.): ~4,211 acres | 0% contained.
* Bradeen Hill Fire (Stevens Co.): ~4,300 acres | 7% contained.
Weather & Fire Behavior Factors
* Red Flag Warnings: The National Weather Service issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Red Flag Warning for Eastern
Washington due to high winds (gusts 40–50 mph) paired with single-digit relative humidity.
* Air Quality & Smoke: Heavy smoke plumes from the Little Giant and Spokane-area fires have created Unhealthy to Hazardous AQI
readings across Central and Eastern Washington, extending into Northern Idaho and Western Montana.
Official Information & Live Maps
* Washington DNR Wildfire Portal: dnr.wa.gov/wildfire-resources
* InciWeb Emergency Map: inciweb.wildfire.gov
* Washington Smoke Blog: wasmoke.blogspot.com
* Local Evacuations: Check regional Sheriff's Office / Emergency Management pages (e.g., Spokane County Emergency Management)
for real-time Level 1, 2, and 3 zone boundaries.
73 de Glenn N3MEL
(TPRFN) The Packet Radio RF Forwarding Network
Website: http://tprfn.n
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