Okanogan County Emergency Management Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Equipos luchan contra el incendio de Eagle Bluff en el condado de Okanogan

By Johanna Bejarano August 1, 2023

n incendio forestal en el condado de Okanogan, cerca de Oroville, en el noreste de Washington, está activo y cubre una amplia zona a través de la frontera entre EE.UU. y Canadá. Los niveles de evacuación se redujeron al nivel 2 en el condado de Okanogan.Read More

Teams battle Eagle Bluff Fire in Okanogan County

By Johanna Bejarano August 1, 2023

A wildfire in Okanogan County, near Oroville, in Northeast Washington is active and covers a large area across the U.S/Canadian border. Evacuation levels were reduced to level 2 in Okanogan County.Read More

Eastern Washington Residents Praise Facebook Group For Connections During Trying Fire Seasons

By Courtney Flatt October 15, 2020

The Palmer Fire in Okanogan County, southwest of Oroville, seen from the Aeneas Mountain Lookout Tuesday evening, Aug. 18, 2020. Smoke from a fire in nearby British Columbia is also visible.

At around 18,000 members, the Okanogan Highlands Fire Watch group continues to provide what members call valuable and lifesaving information. People post evacuation notices, fire maps and recovery resources throughout fire season. Daniel Pratt started the group in 2015 during another particularly bad fire season for Okanogan County.Read More

Crews Look Toward Containment For Palmer Fire, Using ‘Ping Pong Balls’ To Fight Fire With Fire

By Courtney Flatt August 24, 2020

Fire crews were in the town of Loomis, on the Palmer Fire's southwestern edge, Aug. 22-23. The conducted burnout operations to help clear fuel. CREDIT Alan Lebovitz/WA DNR

Crews have fought fire with fire to help secure the containment lines. One method you may not have heard of uses ping pong balls and helicopters. They’re officially called PSDs, or plastic spherical devices.Read More

Crews Attack Fast-Moving Palmer Fire In Okanogan County, Eyeing Northward Growth Toward Border

By Courtney Flatt August 20, 2020

The Palmer Fire, burning in timber, brush and grasslands southwest of Oroville, began Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. It prompted numerous evacuations for residents in the area that has multiple lakes and recreation destinations. CREDIT: InciWeb

Firefighters are working to contain a large fire in north-central Washington. So far, the Palmer Fire has burned at least 6,000 acres and forced evacuations as winds pushed flames forward. It’s expected to grow, pushing north toward the Canadian border, in the coming days.Read More

Fire Conditions Heat Up, State Burn Ban In Effect As Anglin Fire Near Tonasket Forces Evacuations

By NWPB News July 28, 2020

The Anglin Fire burning east of Tonasket, Washington, July 28, 2020 in a mix of sagebrush, grasses, and light timber. Courtesy of Okanogan County Emergency Management/video

In response to growing fire potential and high temperatures nearing and surpassing 100 degrees, on Tuesday state public lands commissioner Hillary Franz issued a statewide burn ban The order took effect July 28 and lasts through September 30, unless fire conditions improve. Read More

Okanogan County Firefighter Dies From Injuries Sustained During Labor Day Weekend Fire

By Courtney Flatt October 3, 2019

Christian Johnson, 55, suffered burns over 60 percent of his body. His lungs were also burned. The veteran firefighter was helping fight a small brush Sept. 1 fire near Okanogan. Courtesy Amy Freel/GoFundMe

Christian Johnson, 55, had been flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after suffering burns over more than half of his body fighting the Spring Coulee Fire on Sept. 1. Read More

Agencies Downgrade Preparedness And Burn Bans, But Northwest Wildfire Risk Persists

By Emily Schwing October 3, 2018

Washington fire managers responded to nearly 70 new fire starts August 11, 2018, including the Grass Valley Fire that threatened the Grand Coulee Dam area and forced hundreds of evacuations. CREDIT: INCIWEB

State and federal agencies throughout the Northwest are starting to lift burn restrictions on some lands. The Wildfire Preparedness level for the region was downgraded to its lowest stage -- Level 1 -- this week. But the region is below normal for precipitation and has been so for the past two months. Read More

Okanogan And Ferry County Flooding: Emergency Information And Updates

By NWPB News May 17, 2018

The Okanogan River from a drone video by Okanogan County Emergency Management, May 11, 2018.

Conditions in Okanogan and Ferry counties have moved to a major flood state, where Governor Jay Inslee has declared an emergency. The Okanogan River is expected to continue rising through the weekend and through the following week to a level not reached since the historic flood of 1972. Read More

Flooding Hits Okanogan And Ferry Counties As Melting Canadian Snowpack Fills Rivers

By Scott Leadingham May 10, 2018

The Okanogan River in Omak on May 7, 2018. CREDIT: OKANOGAN COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

It’s a record year for flooding in northeastern Washington as spring runoff makes its way into rivers. At least eight are at or above flood stage. Nearly all of them cross the U.S.-Canada border.Read More