RIMROCK, Wash. – After nearly a week of burning, the Retreat Fire has taken out over 29,000 acres and three homes. It’s at 11% containment with 442 personnel fighting the fire.
At a community meeting, the Northern Rockies Team told concerned citizens crews are in “full suppression mode.”
That means the brush and fuels that could burn, will be intentionally burned to cut off the fire’s movement. Winds continue to push the fire east towards the Highway 12 and 410 junction and near the towns of Tieton and Cowiche. Cutting off the fire with suppression would limit how close the flames would get. Already, the fire burns nearly a mile away from the highway junction, also known as the “Y”.
“They’re doing some firing,” says Northern Rockies Section Chief Kate Earhart. “They’ve created a control line and they’re working their way to the east, bringing fire with them to take care of any unburned fuels between that control line and the main fire.”
Those fuels are of high concern for the operations team. Not only in how much fuel could burn, but the type of fuels.
“Some of the green bitter brush and sagebrush that’s out there, that is burning readily,” says Fire Behavior Specialist Brian Anderson. “Any time fire comes in contact with these trees out there, Ponderosa or Doug Fir, they torch, or they light up very quickly.”
With federal funding and the Yakima County Commissioners supporting the fire attack, the Retreat Fire is a top priority for crews across the nation.
Incident Commander Brent Olsen says most of the nation’s firefighter resources are being sent to the Pacific Northwest. With 53 fires burning across Washington and Oregon, crews expected a delay in getting backup to fight the fire.
Instead, the Retreat Fire is the fourth highest priority fire in the region, according to Olsen. The three higher priority fires are burning in Oregon, making this fire the focus in the Evergreen State.
“That means we’ve been successful in getting to ramp up to 500 people in a short amount of time,” says Olsen. “That’s because of that priority. We’ll keep making the case of the geographic area, how important this fire is and keep trying to get those resources here. We will advocate for you as best we can.”
The Northern Rockies Team and the extra resources are crucial for the Naches Fire Department, who first responded to what was called out as a structure fire.
With a mostly volunteer department, NFD’s automatic mutual aid responded to help, but Fire Chief Alan Baird knew quickly the fire was going to need more hands.
“We spent the first night throughout and then we got some relief the next morning,” says Chief Baird. “We threw everything at it that we possibly could.”
The Chief had the chance to go back up Highway 12 on Monday to see the aftermath of his team’s initial response.
“It’s pretty hard seeing it, so this is going to take a while to recover,” says Baird. “But I want you to know from this department, from all of our volunteers and myself, we’re going to be here. We’re going to be here for the long haul.”
For those displaced by the fire, the agencies recommend AfterTheFireWA.org for finding the next steps in recovery.
Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuations are still in place as crews continue to protect structures along the Highway 12 corridor.
US Hwy 12 at Bear Canyon Trailhead (NF 1301 Forest Service Road) northeast to the “Y” (Hwy 12/410).From “Y” (Hwy 12/410) south along the borders of Town of Cowiche and Town of Tieton to Cowiche Mill Road.Cowiche Mill Road west to NF 641 Forest Service Road.NF 641 Forest Service Road North to Hwy 12.
Flames creep towards the Tieton and Cowiche area with Level 2 (GET SET) evacuations also in place.
Including Cowiche Mill Road east to Summitview RoadSummitview Road North to the four way stop on West Tieton RoadHeading west on West Tieton Road to the end of West Tieton Road.The west boundary is the end of West Tieton Road going south to the 3600 block of Cowiche Mill Road.
Yakima Valley Emergency Management says those will stay in affect until there is better containment.
“Get the burnouts done, secure that, because we do have some really erratic fire weather going on,” says YVEM’s Tony Miller. “I’d rather keep the zones where they’re at for now instead of have people come back and then have to leave again all of a sudden.”
If you’re not sure if your home is in the evacuation boundary, YVEM’s website has an interactive map where you can enter your address and check your status.
