Firefighters defeat flames at Osborn Bay

A fire at Osborn Bay in high winds Saturday forced two people there to stay in the water for hours as flames came near enough at times that they could feel the heat. 

The fire near Osborn Bay, south of Electric City burned approximately 30 acres of sagebrush, dry grass, trees, and other vegetation in high winds on Saturday after a bullet ricocheted and started the fire. 

Electric City Fire Chief Mark Payne said the fire started at approximately 12:55 p.m. when a man shooting in the area reported it, then stayed in the area and spoke with a Bureau of Land Management fire investigator.

No charges are being filed against the man, whose name Payne didn't disclose.

Payne estimated about 10 cars belonging to campers and people in the area for the day were parked in the area at the time of the fire. 

Helicopters from the state Department of Natural Resources and the federal Bureau of Land Management helped fight the fire, along with firefighters from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and departments from Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam, Elmer City, and Lincoln County.

Later in the evening, the local fire departments turned control of the fire over to the BLM, with the area being on bureau-controlled property. The BLM was still keeping an eye on the area and mopping it up as of Monday, Payne said.

Explosions heard during the fire came from abandoned cars and RVs on private property in the area, Payne said, likely as fuel or propane tanks exploded.

Connie Williamson of Electric City, along with Tonya Greenberg, were camping on a grassy area about 100 yards from a gravel pit at Osborn Bay, which people sometimes use for shooting practice.

For about an hour the pair heard shooting. 

"The last shots we heard were a high powered automatic rifle," Williamson wrote in an email to The Star. "Within seconds, I saw a plume of smoke coming from that direction." 

"Immediately dialed 911," she continued. "Within 5 minutes the flames were 50 feet high and wind gusts were pushing it right at us. ... The wind was swirling, taking the flames in all directions. And then it headed straight for us. ... The wind brought 20 ft flames within six steps from our vehicles and camping gear. I was hysterical, 911 kept me sane."

Williamson said a dispatcher stayed on the phone with her through the entire ordeal.

"We went to the water, at first due to heavy smoke, then farther out because we could feel the heat," Williamson said. "We were trapped for 3.5 hours. Crews were unable to see us for quite a while. The best words I have ever heard: 'We have eyes on you, we know where you are. Get in the water now!'"

As the fire moved up the coulee wall in the area, Williamson felt safer, although firefighters were working to keep the flames from topping the wall and spreading across the farms on top in the wind.

Helicopters poured water in the area.

Eventually the pair were able to put their stuff in their vehicles and get out of there with help from firefighters.