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Blue Creek Fire Near Walla Walla Is Highest Priority Fire In The Northwest

The Blue Creek Fire burning about 10 miles east of Walla Walla, Washington, has grown to more than 5,500 acres. Evacuations remain in place as about 600 firefighters try to head off the flames burning in grass, bush and timber.

Sarah Foster, a spokesperson at incident command, said the fire has grown to the southeast, and one goal is to stop it before it gets to the Umatilla National Forest.

“Basically we have plan A, plan B and plan C. And they’re working ahead of the fire,” Foster explained. “Our goal is to stay about three days ahead. So we’ve got a lot of resources that are building contingency lines and trying to remove vegetation and create a good solid line in advance of the fire. That’s where a lot of our hand crews are working and we’re continuing to strengthen that line every day.”

Foster said the federal government considers this the highest-priority fire in the Northwest.

One home and several out-buildings burned after the fire started Monday. It’s zero percent contained and investigators say it was human-caused.

Adam Radford, Eric Dewitt and Garrett Martens as they prepare for a night shift on the Blue Creek wildfire near Walla Walla, Washington, July 22, 2015.
Anna King / Northwest News Network
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Northwest News Network
Adam Radford, Eric Dewitt and Garrett Martens as they prepare for a night shift on the Blue Creek wildfire near Walla Walla, Washington, July 22, 2015.

Copyright 2015 Northwest News Network

Anna King calls Richland, Washington home and loves unearthing great stories about people in the Northwest. She reports for the Northwest News Network from a studio at Washington State University, Tri-Cities. She covers the Mid-Columbia region, from nuclear reactors to Mexican rodeos.
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