WHITMAN COUNTY, Wash. – A motor home engulfed in flames is blocking northbound lanes on State Route 127 at Penewawa Road. Northbound and southbound lanes are now blocked between Zaring Cut-Off road at milepost 23 and Snake River milepost 10.
Additionally, the Central Ferry Fire has spread to the grass next to the Penawawa road and has grown 600 acres, leading to evacuation order, according to the City of Pullman as of 3:00 p.m.
– Level 3 evacuations are in place for all homes along State Route 127 between mileposts 13 and 13.5.
– Whitman County Emergency Management has issued a Level 2 (Be Ready) Evacuation notice for Central Ferry, North to Dusty, Highway 26 at Dusty to Wilcox and South to Almota
Whitman
Washington State Patrol Sergeant Greg Riddell said that a vehicle fire was reported at 11:50 a.m., which turned out to be a motor home that had caught on fire heading north on State Route 127.
Riddell also said that the vehicle fire spread and led to a wildland fire, which Whitman County Fire District #11 said they were responding to near south of Dusty along State Route 127.
Whitman County Fire District #11 said that evacuations are underway. They also said that they put out a mutual aid call for all fire units at 12:40 p.m.
A notification around 2:30 p.m. from Pullman Firefighters’ Facebook said that every Whitman County Fire District was present.
Washington Emergency Management Division said that the wildfire is now 600 acres and growing. The fire is growing through grass, wheat and brush.
At 12:50 p.m., Washington State Department of Transportation said that due to the vehicle fire, the northbound and southbound lanes will be blocked from the Zaring Cut-Off at milepost 23 to Snake River at milepost 10 starting at 12:37 p.m. until further notice and that travelers should use other routes and avoid the area.
The evacuation map for the Penewawa fire can be found HERE.
