UPDATE AT 9:12 P.M.: Evacuation orders remain in place Friday night for Wallen Fire; 50 structures threatened
Wind gusts, blowing dirt arrive in region; wreck south of Genesee involving multiple vehicles
UPDATE AT 9:12 P.M.
The Idaho Department of Lands said in a news release around 50 structures were threatened by the Wallen Fire, but no structures had been lost. The blaze is estimated at 75 acres and zero percent containment.
The fire, which was reported around 2:45 p.m. Friday, was burning grass, brush and timber, and high winds with gusts of 45 mph posed a challenge to firefighters as the blaze neared homes, according to the IDL news release. Crews planned to remain on the scene through the night and today.
Cooler temperatures, higher humidity and less wind Saturday are expected to ease fire conditions, the IDL news release said. Fire crews from IDL, Latah and Whitman counties, Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association and Bennett Lumber assisted in the efforts.
The Latah County Fairgrounds are open overnight for those displaced by evacuation orders, and the Red Cross is on standby to assist if necessary, according to an evening update from the Latah County Sheriff’s Office. There were no changes to evacuation orders or road closures.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
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UPDATE AT 5:52 P.M.:
The Latah County Sheriff's Office provided updated road closures for the Wallen Fire:
- Wallen Road from Robinson Park Road to Larson Road.
- All of Teare Road.
- All of Kasper Road.
The sheriff's office asks the public to avoid these areas to allow crews to access the fire safely and efficiently.
No new evacuations have been put into effect, according to Watch Duty. Those with questions are asked to contact the Latah County Sheriff's Office or check its Facebook page at facebook.com/LatahCountySO.
The fire is currently estimated at 60 acres, according to Watch Duty.
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UPDATE AT 4:31 P.M.:
A "go now" evacuation was called for east of Moscow because of a wildfire Friday afternoon, according to the Latah County Sheriff's Office.
The fire is in the area of Wallen Road. Residences in these areas are under the sheriff office's immediate evacuation order:
- Wallen Road from Teare Road to Robinson Park Road.
- Teare Road at Wallen Road to Idaho Highway 8.
- Kasper Road at Teare Road to Genesee Troy Road/Larson Road.
- Pine Crest Road from Robinson Park to Idaho Highway 8.
- Reihle Road.
Others are also asked to avoid the area of the wildfire.
According to Watch Duty, the fire was estimated to be 40 acres.
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ORIGINAL STORY:
Wind gusts and blowing dirt arrived on the Palouse and surrounding area Friday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service at Spokane.
The wind and blowing dust was expected to continue until 7 p.m. Friday.
The wind and blowing dirt may have been a factor in a wreck along U.S. Highway 95 that involved multiple vehicles. First responders are on the scene. The wreck is near milepost 322, which is south of Genesee.
Gusts of up to 35 mph were recorded as of 3 p.m. Friday at Pullman, according to the weather service.
The wind was also a fact elsewhere in the region, such as Dusty, Wash., where visibility was down to less than a mile because of blowing dust, according to the weather service.
