Crews control brush blaze

MEDICAL LAKE — Fire crews reached 100% containment on a 310-acre fire just east of the city by the end of their shift Aug. 29.

Authorities responded to a fire burning in dry grass, brush and light timber north of state Highway 902, east of Bartholomew Road, at 12:32 p.m. Aug. 27.

The fire -- later dubbed the Bartholomew Fire -- burned northeast of the city and onto Fairchild Air Force Base.

One primary residence and three outbuildings burned, according to Guy Gifford of the state Department of Natural Resources.

The state Department of Transportation ordered Highway 902 closed between Mileposts 7-10 at 2:01 p.m. Aug. 27; the highway reopened at 4:40 p.m. that day.

Two 10-person crews, 13 fire trucks, numerous tenders, four fire boss aircraft, three heavy air tankers dropping retardant and at least two helitack teams responded that afternoon.

Washington State Patrol Chief Jon Batiste then authorized state firefighting resources to assist local crews, per request of Fire District No. 3 Chief Cody Rohrbach, by the end of the day Aug. 27.

Resources from all over the state, including Spokane, Thurston, Lewis, Benton and Franklin counties were offered before being de-mobilized Aug. 29.

An inmate work crew from Airway Heights Correctional Center, several private contractors from Eastern Washington and resources from Western Washington and the Department of Natural Resources assisted, as well. Some resources were mobilized directly from the Palmer Fire northwest of Tonasket.

The state turned the response back to the local Natural Resources crews Aug. 30.

“The local crew is still mopping the fire and checking for any hot spots,” Gifford said. “Today (Sept. 1) there were two fire engines on it.”

Crews established a 150-plus-foot perimeter around the fire, and a 300-plus-foot perimeter around any structures, Gifford added.

Level 3 evacuation notices issued in place for impacted homes before being reduced to a Level 2 notice Aug. 28. Evacuation notices were lifted the morning of Aug. 30.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials said. No injuries were reported.

Approximately 60-80 acres of the fire reached the base, according to Fairchild’s public affairs office. That portion was 100% contained by end of day Aug. 27, per the public affairs office. One structure on base suffered minor damage.

Members of the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape division on base were evacuated from their dormitories Aug. 27, but that evacuation order has been lifted.

Drew Lawson can be reached at [email protected].