A wildfire in Benton County prompted evacuations and threatened homes and farmland on Saturday, emergency officials said.
The Second Street fire between Benton City and West Richland was first reported around 2:30 p.m. Friday, said Ben Shearer, a spokesperson for the Southeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team.
That night, an estimated 100 homes were threatened, but Shearer said that number hadn't been updated as of Saturday. There were unconfirmed reports of structures, vehicles and crops damaged, but Shearer said crews were still assessing the extent of what was lost.
People living in the areas of Kennedy Road and Highway 224 in Benton City were issued level 3 evacuations — meaning they should leave immediately — on Friday evening. Local subdivisions were also told to evacuate, as was the Kiona Village Community Mobile Home. Temporary evacuation centers were set up by the Red Cross at the Central Church in Richland.
Other areas with evacuation orders were lifted or reduced to a level 2 on Saturday, meaning residents should be prepared to leave quickly if conditions change.
As of Saturday, several roads were still closed due to the fire. Interstate 82 and Highway 224 were open.
The fire's cause is still under investigation, Shearer said.
The fire started in the small community of Kiona, just outside of Benton City along I-82. Shearer said the fire was rapidly pushed north eastward by the wind, threatening residential areas and farmland as well as some wineries. It jumped the highway and made its way into the West Richland area.
On Saturday around 8:30 p.m., the fire, estimated at 1,150 acres, was contained at 60%.
Crews continue to battle other fires from earlier in the season, including the Little Giant fire in Chelan County.
That fire, which started July 15, is now 81% contained. The lightning-caused blaze has burned nearly 173,000 acres and at one point was the second-highest priority fire in the country, prompting hundreds of evacuations.
As of Saturday, a level 3 evacuation remained in place for the Chiawa Valley.
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