Serving Franklin County, WA
Serving Franklin County, WA
Basin City, Kahlotus homes destroyed
A burned-out car sits near near what used to be a home at the intersection of West Canal Boulevard and Loen Drive in Basin City.
A home was destroyed by wildfire on Loen Drive in Basin City on Monday, Sept. 7.
A destroyed truck remains at a former home on Loen Drive following a wildfire that skirted Basin City on Monday.
A home on West Canal Boulevard was destroyed by a fast-moving wildfire Monday on the outskirts of Basin City.
BASIN CITY - A wildfire raced along the edge of the city Monday, Sept. 7, destroying at least two homes.
The homes were located along North Canal Boulevard and Loen Drive, but winds driving flames nearby fields of dry grass and sagebrush also spread the fire to the structures and vehicles parked nearby.
According to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, nobody was injured.
Meanwhile further east in the county, flames from another fire rapidly moved through dry fuels near Pasco-Kahlotus Road.
The Sheriff's Office reported that at least one home and an outbuilding burned Monday evening.
Emergency officials issued evacuation notices for state Highway 263.
They also closed Overturf Road and Pasco-Kahlotus Road between Overturf Road and Highway 263.
The winds that propelled the flames also knocked down powerlines along Ringgold, Glade North and Dayton roads.
Those roads were closed until the lines were removed; they've since reopened.
The Franklin County fires were among several that exploded Monday.
A fire in Sprague destroyed at least one barn and a vacant home.
In Colfax, two fires on the hillside devoured at least two more homes.
And further north in Spokane County, a fire that started in the Babbs Road area between Rosalia and Cheney rapidly raced to the southwest, destroying about 80% of structures in the town of Malden, dozens of rural homes and even a large grain elevator in Pine City.
To the west, the Beverly-Burke Fire ignited on the ridge between George and Beverly, and burned through dry grass and sage.
Officials reported structures there were destroyed, but have yet to release further information.
At least three fires were also reported in the Medical Lake-Airway Heights areas south of Spokane and two big fires blew up in rural Lincoln County, between Davenport and Creston, along U.S. Highway 2.
That fire has grown to more than 9,000 acres and was reportedly at zero percent containment.
In Eastern Washingotn, fires are also burning in the Benton City, Prosser, Paterson, Naches, Bridgeport and Omak areas.
Roger Harnack is the co-owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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