Newell Road Wildfire burns structures, 30,000 acres in East Klickitat County
Photo Credit: Toni Reeves Wesley
By Tom Peterson
Bickleton, Wash., July 22, 2023 - The Newell Road Wildfire has burned through multiple structures and more than 30,000 acres creating a hazard to homes, farm structures, crops, livestock, wind farms, the Roosevelt Landfill and the Williams Natural Gas Pipeline.
Evacuation Map released on Saturday, July 22. Click to enlarge. A Level 3 GO NOW Evacuation is in place for a portion of the area. See above.
The fire began in the area of Newell Road and Dot Road at 2:45 p.m. on July 21, according to a press release from Klickitat County.
State mobilization of fire resources was approved later that day at 7:15 p.m., triggering the statewide needed resource deployment to assist with the quick-burning fire.
Klickitat County Commission Chairman Dan Christopher declared a state of emergency at 9:55 p.m.
Fire, law enforcement, emergency management, posse, and search and rescue personnel are working hard to protect the county residents and resources,” said the press release.
The following agencies share unified command supervising the management of the fire: The Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Land Management, Klickitat County Fire #2. Southeast Washington Management Team #3 took command at 6 a.m. this morning, July 22.
Thirteen fire districts from Klickitat County, 3 units from Skamania County, State mobilization of fire agencies across Washington, and the Department of Natural Resources are providing ongoing fire protection, the release states.
