LYLE — Crews on the Burdoin Fire successfully made it through hotter temperatures and scattered thunderstorms early last week. On Sunday night, Aug. 3, Northwest Complex Incident Management Team 13 handed the reins to a local Type 4 command group since, as of press deadline on Monday, the fire was 94% contained.
With updated mapping revealing untouched, interior islands, the total acreage burned has dropped slightly to 10,675. A preliminary assessment by Klickitat County’s Department of Emergency Management (KCDEM) found that 19 primary structures and 30 secondary structures were destroyed, and 97 others were damaged. According to KCDEM, firefighters saved 82% of the primary structures at risk.
“We’ll continue to have monitored patrols across the fire with the new organization to take care of the needs that you have,” said Jesse Stone, operations section chief for Northwest 13, during a video briefing on Sunday morning. “Don’t hesitate to reach out to them and the local fire department for anything you need out there within the fire perimeter.”
Apart from surveilling firelines, the Type 4 team will also focus on extinguishing any remaining hotspots in a 200-foot area around homes.
Hours prior to the command shift, the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office rescinded all evacuation orders and opened all previously closed roads to through traffic.
Returning residents should be wary of rocks rolling down steep slopes, unstable trees that can topple at any time and stump holes. Often camouflaged by ash and debris, stump holes and root systems can hold hot coals for weeks, causing severe burns if fallen into. Some interior pockets are also anticipated to smolder, so any resident concerned about smoke or flames near their property should call 911.
"Clean kits" for Burdoin Fire evacuees.
Flora Gibson photo
KCDEM has also compiled a list of recovery resources for residents. For an in-person alternative, residents can visit the Disaster Assistance Center at the Lyle Lions Club Community Center, 503 Lewis and Clark Highway, on Aug. 6 from 4-8 p.m. Representatives from the county public health, planning and emergency management departments, along with the Red Cross, private companies that assist with debris cleanup, and other agencies will be available to answer questions.
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