Evacuation Levels Reduced For Jack Wells Fire Near Bridgeport

Evacuation levels for the Jack Wells Fire in Southern Okanogan County have been reduced.

Officials with Okanogan County Emergency Management announced the changes from Level 3 and 2 notifications to Level 1 for all locations near the fire at just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

In addition, Cameron Lake Road and all other roads in the vicinity of the fire are now fully open.

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Spokesperson, Maurice Goodall, says the fire has spread rapidly since igniting late Tuesday afternoon on the Colville Indian Reservation just east of Bridgeport, but there is still no official estimate of its size.

"With this fire it's been kind of interesting. It's burnt some here and burnt some there but they have no estimate on it. Because it was still burning when the helicopters left yesterday, so they're going to have to get an aircraft in there to map it. All I can say is that it's several thousand acres."

Crews have reportedly established a solid perimeter around the blaze, which is now largely lined by well-hydrated fields and orchards.

Goodall says the fire is still producing some smoke, which is expected to be widely visible throughout Wednesday.

The fire initially prompted responses from Okanogan County Fire District No. 15 and the Washington Department of Natural Resources, but is now being managed by Mt. Tolman Fire Control.

Thus far, no structures have been damaged or destroyed and no injuries reported.