Wildfire blazing north of Keller

Keller, Wash. – The Twenty-One Mile Grade Fire began on the afternoon of July 1 and is approximately 1,000 acres. It is located approximately 25 miles north of Keller, WA and east of Hwy 21.

The Colville Indian Agency Type 3 Management Team transitioned to the Washington Interagency Incident Management Team #5 – IC Bruce Holloway – today at 0600 hours. On this incident, firefighters are dealing with treacherous terrain and hot temperatures - expected to reach 100 degrees today – that are expected to continue for several days.

Yesterday crews built dozer lines along the southwest corner of the fire at 21 Mile Road tying into a natural rock barrier and digging hand lines toward the north. Fixed-wing aircraft dropped retardant north and east of the fire along the steep rocky slopes. Helicopters continued to drop water cooling down hotspots.

Friday through Sunday dry and breezy conditions will increase fire danger. A Red Flag Warning will be in effect for the area Saturday as winds are expected to range from 10 – 18 mph with gust to around 30 mph. The winds are expected to be strongest from 2 – 11 pm. Fireworks will be a major concern and new fire starts are anticipated. Travel on Hwy 21 will be congested starting today and continuing through the holiday weekend. Travelers are advised to drive with extreme caution and be advised of an oil spill recovery site between Keller and the fire. This area will be one lane with traffic controlled by flaggers. Anticipate a 20- minute wait time.