Kaiser Canyon Fire 27% Contained, But Winds Could Slow Progress

Fire crews in Okanogan County continue making steady progress in corralling a wildfire that's now been torching the landscape of the Colville Indian Reservation for two weeks.

The Kaiser Canyon Fire was sparked by a lightning strike on July 16, and has since grown to a current estimated size of 128,212 acres with 27% containment.

Numerous Level 3 Evacuation Notices are in effect for the fire, including newly-issued orders in the Nespelem vicinity, as well as for homes along a 30-mile stretch of State Route 21 north of Keller.

A 31-mile stretch of State Route 155 remains closed due to the fire, which has reportedly destroyed at least 40 structures, including 22 primary residences - with well over 1,000 more still being threatened.

After laboring for over a week with no containment over the blaze, firefighters are finally making some inroads in their efforts to fully corral the flames. However, fire managers are concerned their progress could be stymied or even undone in some areas this weekend, when a system of high pressure is forecasted to bring hotter temperatures and very gusty winds to the fire zone.

Smoke impacts from the blaze continue to be widespread, including poor air quality and reduced visibilities in parts of the Columbia Basin and the Spokane Valley, as well as Stevens and Pend Oreille Counties, and as far away as the Idaho Panhandle.

One firefighter suffered a medical emergency while battling the flames and was airlifted to a hospital in Grand Coulee for treatment, but no other injuries or deaths have been attributed to the fire.

Two emergency shelters in Omak and one in Coulee Dam are still hosting evacuees, and shelters for impacted animals have been opened in Grand Coulee, Okanogan, and Omak.