Cummins Creek lightning fire held to 84 acres

POMEROY––A lightning storm that rumbled over the Tucannon Valley Thursday, September 7 sparked a wildfire in the vicinity of the Tucannon Hatchery and Cummins Creek the next day.

The smoke from the fire was first spotted around 2 p.m. and Wildlife Area Manager Kari Dingman received a phone call from DNR at 2:30 p.m.

The fire was located on Hatchery Ridge above the Tucannon Fish Hatchery and burned both sides of the ridge into the Tucannon and Cummings Creek.

Air resources were called in by the Department of Natural Resources, which responded in full force. There was a scout plane circling above the fire, a smoke jumper crew parachuted into the fire, two helicopters were dipping water out of Rainbow Lake, a lead plane was guiding five Fire Boss planes and four tankers over the fire to drop water and retardant, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife newsletter.

Forward progression of the fire was stopped at about dark on September 8, and the hotshots remained on the fire overnight. A DNR Strike Team arrived just after dark and took over on the fire the morning of September 9.

Fire crews remained on the fire, mopping up and checking for hot spots, until the morning of September 11 when they were dispatched to a different fire.

Local DNR crews remained on the fire for several more days to complete mop up.

The fire was mapped at 84 acres in size.

Fall weed spraying with a helicopter is being planned for the burned area to try to get ahead of the yellow star thistle and cheatgrass infestations in that area.

-Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife newsletter