Emergency officials in Grant County, Washington, are tracking level 3 evacuations for a fast moving wildfire burning near Cooley City. The blaze, known as the Garrett Road fire, has already grown to an estimated 1500 acres in size and has been described as fast moving, prompting authorities to push out urgent warnings to people living and camping in the area.
The fire is burning near the Sun Lakes camping area, close to US 2 and State Route 17. Because of the flames, stretches of both of those highways have been closed to traffic. The closures cut through a popular recreation corridor, complicating both the response to the fire and the movement of anyone trying to leave the area as the flames spread.
A level 3 evacuation is the most urgent category, meaning residents are told to leave immediately rather than prepare or stand by. Officials were blunt in their message, warning that anyone near the Sun Lakes campground needs to get out of there right away. With the fire moving quickly, authorities stressed that there is little time to wait and see how the situation develops.
Fires like the one in Grant County are part of the reason that burn bans are taking effect in King and Snohomish counties starting today. Under those bans, no residential debris burning is allowed, as officials try to cut down on the kinds of human caused ignitions that can quickly turn into larger blazes during dry summer weather.
Recreational fires are still allowed for now, but officials urged people to be careful. They advised keeping such fires small and attended to at all times, using only dry firewood and a metal or concrete fire pit, and making sure any fire is fully out before leaving it. The guidance reflects how easily a small flame can escape control under the current conditions.
Forecasters say fire conditions across the region are running from moderate to elevated, particularly around the Cascades and in eastern Washington. Those elevated fire risks are expected to increase into Tuesday and Wednesday as breezier winds arrive ahead of a cold front moving in on Thursday and Friday, with very dry conditions reported across the state.
The dryness has been compounded by heat. A heat advisory is in effect stretching from Bellingham down through the Seattle area and from Olympia down through Kelso, reaching into Portland, with highs expected in the mid 80s to mid 90s. Seattle has not seen any rain since June 9th, leaving the landscape parched and primed for the kind of fast moving fire now burning in Grant County.