News Briefs

Cheney firefighters ‘Fill the Boot’ to support fight against muscle-debilitating diseases

Members of the Cheney Fire Department L1919 are set to kick off the firefighter’s annual “Fill the Boot” fundraising campaign to help the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) find urgently needed treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases that severely limit strength and mobility.

Firefighters from Cheney Fire Department Local 1919 will be out with boots in hand for this year’s drive on Saturday, Oct. 8, at First Street and Cheney Spokane Road from 8 a.m. – noon.

Funds raised through the 2016 Cheney Fill the Boot event empower families with life-enhancing resources and support that open new possibilities and maximize independence so they can experience the world without any limits.

MDA’s spirited Fill the Boot campaign is an honored tradition in which thousands of dedicated firefighters in hometowns across America hit the streets or storefronts asking pedestrians, motorists, customers and other passersby to make a donation to MDA, using their collective strength to help kids and adults live longer and grow stronger.

County and state agencies lift burning ban

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced on Sept. 30 that the statewide burn ban on DNR-protected lands has been rescinded. Spokane County officials followed suit and rescinded its July 26 ban on Monday, Oct. 3.

DNR officials stress that rule burning (pile burning) is still prohibited and silvicultural burns must follow conditions of an approved permit on lands with DNR-fire protection within the following counties: Stevens, Ferry, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Okanogan and Lincoln. State staff remind the public that individual landscapes or campgrounds may continue, or enact new, campfire or burning bans at any time as needed per local conditions. All fires require written landowner permission.

County officials also are reminding residents that these burning restrictions remain in place, along with other restrictions concerning regional air quality. Information on air quality restrictions is available by contacting the Spokane County Regional Air Agency’s burn information hotline at (509) 477-4710 or at the website SRCAA Current Conditions.

In addition, individuals involved in forest operations are reminded to continue following Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) system restrictions, which can be checked at http://www.drn.wa.gov/ifpl.

Prescribed fire at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge

This fall, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge may conduct prescribed burns. Depending on weather conditions, burning will occur between Oct. 11 and Nov. 18.

Prescribed burning activities should have little to no impact on access to the majority of refuge public use areas. These burns will accomplish refuge management objectives for improving wildlife habitat, reducing hazardous accumulations of vegetation and forest debris and decreasing the number of unhealthy and overstocked stands of ponderosa pine seedlings and saplings.

Burns will be implemented in accordance with the state of Washington’s Smoke Management Plan. Burning will only occur when weather conditions and smoke dispersion are favorable.

Due to smoke and to provide for firefighter and public safety, disruptions to vehicle traffic are possible but are expected to be infrequent and short in duration.