Crews Make Some Progress On Kartar Fire Near Omak, Now 15% Contained & Nearly 12,000 Acres

After raging for five days with no containment, firefighters in Okanogan County are finally making some progress on a blaze that's torched nearly 12,000 acres near Omak Lake.

The Kartar Fire sparked on June 16 about 12 miles southeast of Omak on the Colville Indian Reservation and burned for roughly 48 hours before merging with another wildfire (Omak Lake Fire) last Thursday (June 18), which had ignited nearby on the same day.

Since then, the blaze has torched approximately 11,679 acres and has kept scores of homes on Columbia River, Kartar Valley, and Omak Lake Roads on a Level 3 evacuation notice.

Several local roads also remain closed due to the fire, including Columbia River Road at its junction with State Route 155, and Cameron Lake-Omak Lake Road.

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There are currently 283 personnel assigned to the blaze under the command of a Northeast Washington Type 3 Team.

Fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters continue performing water and retardant drops on the flames, as crews on the ground work to secure a perimeter around the fire, which is burning in dry grass, sagebrush, and timber, part of which is located within a burn scar caused by a wildfire from several years ago.

Thus far, no structures have been damaged or destroyed and no injuries reported.
Officials say the fire was human caused but its exact source of ignition is still being investigated.

There have been unconfirmed accounts on social media that the two initial fires were both the result of arson, but officials have yet to publicly validate these claims.