Taylor Bridge wildfire almost completely contained
Aug 26, 2012, 11:57 AM | Updated: 1:21 pm
A burnt car stands on a road near a house where the Taylor Bridge fire burned. Over $8 million worth of damage was inflicted by the wildfire, which has burned for several weeks. (Photo: MyNorthwest.com/File)
(Photo: MyNorthwest.com/File)
Fire officials are slowly winding down operations near Cle Elum, as the Taylor Bridge Fire is now almost 91 percent contained. Fewer than 200 firefighters will remain to extinguish the last of the 23,500 acre central Washington blaze.
Fire crews have put out much of the fire and contained its expansion by using hand torches to burn a perimeter around the burn zone. Despite going from 30 to 90 percent containment in about a week, firefighters are still working around the clock to make sure the fire does not expand out of control again.
“We’re patrolling, and we’re putting out hot spots that are within 300 feet of the established line. We’re also putting out any hot spots that are within 100 feet of a structure,” says fire crew representative Ray Stieger.
Even though the fire is almost completely contained and the number of firefighters will go down over the new few days, there are areas where the fire still dominates. The biggest problems are near the Hidden Valley Ranch area.
“There are some areas that are too hazardous for us to put people in, and they are areas that are not going to endanger any structures or get out of the area. There are areas that are within the burn area that are still putting out smoke, but we’re just letting them burn out,” Ray Stieger.
Since the Taylor Bridge fire began earlier this month more than 60 homes were destroyed by the wildfire, and authorities have made initial estimates for property losses that top $8 million.
Jillian Raftery contributed to this report
