Newsbriefs

Fire created thunder and lightening

Scientists flew through the clouds created by the Williams Flats Fire last week to study the first incidence of a "pyrocumulonimbus" cloud in continental United States this year.

The flight was one of the first ever to record data from inside such a cloud.

A Seattle Times story about it is here: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/washington-wildfire-smoke-just-triggered-a-thunderstorm-nasa-researchers-flew-through-the-middle-of-it/

The time lapse was hotographed by Keller photographer Rocky Raybell the night of Aug. 7, lit only by the stars and the fire, between 10:30 and 11 p.m.

Drone flight under investigation by FAA

The drone that flew Aug. 6 near the Williams Flats Fire on the Colville Indian Reservation, forcing multiple aircraft fighting the fire to land, is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration, confirmed by Allen Kenitzer, a public information officer with the FAA.

The drone flew into the temporarily restricted airspace over the Williams Flats and Lundstrom Butte fires upstream from the Keller Ferry on the Colville Indian Reservation.

"The incursion caused all firefighting related aircraft - helicopters, Fire Bosses and large retardant planes - to suspend operations and return to the airport," Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 8 said in a fire update on the night of the incident.

No flights were allowed in the area until it could be verified that the drone had left it.

"During the suspension, no aerial support was provided to the firefighters on the ground, and the fire was allowed to burn unchecked," the update said.

Flying a drone into an area designated for a "Temporary Flight Restriction" can bring a fine of $20,000.

Softball tournament this week

The Grand Coulee Dam Area Adult Softball League will be holding their annual tournament, the Kenny Hearn Summer Classic, on Aug. 15-17 at North Dam Park.

Eight teams will compete against one another starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday on both the upper and lower ball fields.

The games continue on both fields on Friday at 6 p.m. and at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17.