Wildfire blackens Washington Flats

A 385-acre wildfire burned on Washington Flats across the Columbia River from the Seaton's Grove area near Elmer City last week, and was handled by crews from the Department of Natural Resources and the Bureau of Land Management, as well as local firefighters.

The fire, first reported at about 2 p.m. on July 11, had helicopters scooping water from the river to dump on the fire, as well as four single-engine air tankers and one air-attack aircraft.

People watched the action from the parking areas on the Lower River Road across the river from the fire.

The DNR website reported a total of 93 people working on the fire, where access is difficult from the Washington Flats road, but primitive dirt roads from the west, and local firefighters' knowledge of them, helped grant access to the fire's location.

The fire, although well contained by July 12, was officially called out on July 15 at 3 p.m.

Jeff Dimke, fire management officer for DNR, said that the cause of the fire is still under investigation.