ELLENSBURG, Wash. — A brush fire northeast of Ellensburg estimated to have burned 800 acres, and at one point, threatened more than a dozen homes has been contained.
The Parke Creek fire was discovered around midnight by firefighters who were on the way to another fire.
Fifteen homes in the Secret Canyon area were under what officials call a Level 1 evacuation, meaning evacuations are voluntary but residents with special needs (such as a susceptibility to breathing problems, or those with animals/pets) should begin making arrangements to evacuate.
Two properties were on Level 2 evacuations, meaning the fire is getting dangerously close to their homes.
But late Thursday afternoon, helicopters had dropped tons of water on the flames and crews on the ground contained the fire.
The sheriff then lifted the evacuation order.
Kevin Clements rushed to the area from Enumclaw to check on his vacation home.
“I found that the firemen had already been there and that it was moving toward our place,” said Clements.
Clements set up sprinklers to wet down his property and was grateful for the bulldozers that cut a fire line between his house and the flames.
“They knocked it back really good. They got it under control really fast,” said Clements.
The fire is only miles away from where the Taylor Bridge Fire burned last month.
The Taylor Bridge Fire burned more than 36 square miles, or 23,500 acres. Authorities said 61 homes and 35 outbuildings were destroyed.
That fire was declared completely contained at the end of August.