Nisqually John Fire 50% contained Saturday evening
Mapping shows the blaze burned around 1,221 acres
Click here for a Sunday morning update on the fire.
The Nisqually John Fire is roughly 50% contained, incident command reported Saturday evening.
“Today was a critical day because we had the high winds,” said spokesperson Isabelle Hoygaard Reeser with the Northeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team. “So far, the line is holding.”
Improved mapping showed the fire had burned roughly 1,221 acres, which is an adjustment from the previous estimate of 1,150 acres. However, that increase was only due to mapping, and not because the fire spread, she said.
Crews will continue to work on containment into today, Hoygaard Reeser said.
“It looks like we’re in a pretty good glide path for the fire to be contained,” she said.
The fire is northwest of Clarkston along the Snake River near Nisqually John Landing and Steptoe Canyon. Earlier Saturday, the incident management team asked the public to avoid the area, though Steptoe Canyon Road and Wawawai Road both remained open.
Management of the fire was officially transferred from the Whitman County Fire District and Washington State Patrol to the Northeast Washington Interagency Type 3 Incident Management Team No. 2 as of 6 a.m. Saturday.
The incident command post is located at Colton High School.
