Wellpinit Complex Fires
Location: 15 W of Wellpinit, Stevens Co., WA
Specific Location: along the Columbia and Spokane Rivers on the Spokane Indian Reservation
Date of Origin: 05/17/2008 at 00 hrs
Cause: Human caused, under investigation
Situation as of 05/23/08
Total Personnel: 195
Size: 785 acres or 829 acres?
Percent Contained: 95%
Costs to Date: $380,000
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Situation as of 05/22/08
Total Personnel: 211
Size: 785 acres
Percent Contained: 90%
Costs to Date: $270,000
Note: fire acreage may be shrinking due to improved mapping, or confusion at some level in the reporting hierarchy.
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Situation as of 05/21/08
Total Personnel: 176
Size: 829 acres
Percent Contained: 80%
Costs to Date: $215,000
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Situation as of 05/20/08
Total Personnel: ~250
Size: 1,000 acres
Percent Contained: Not available
Summary from Inciweb: This complex consists of 4 wildfires. Benjamin Lake, and Indian Action near Wellpinit, and the Maggie Shoup and Big Miller fires west of Wellpinit along the Columbia and Spokane Rivers. Maggie Shoup is the largest at 650 acres. There are residences within ½ mile of the Maggie Shoup and Big Miller fires. None of these fires are the result of controlled prescription fires that were set earlier in the month (although KREM Spokane [here] reports that “Authorities say many of the fires have been burning for at least a couple of weeks.”)
Most of the fires have a control line around them, and are expected to be fully contained later in the week. Spokane Tribal crews have been fighting the fires, but the Washington(3) Type 2 IMT took over management of the complex at noon today.
Weather: Cooler with good chance of rain and gusty winds. Max temperature 65, minimum humidity 46%. Winds 7-11 mph with gusts to 25mph.
Additional Information: The Spokane River and Lake Coeur d’Alene have reached flood stage and are still rising. Flood warnings continue on many of the region’s waterways, including the Kettle, Methow, Moyie, Okanogan, Clearwater and Coeur d’Alene rivers. Gov. Christine Gregoire declared a state of emergency today for Spokane County. Flood waters are expected to crest Friday. Warm weather melting record snowpack is the cause.
