Lick Creek Fire: Evacuation levels downgraded with fire 40% contained

UMATILLA NATIONAL FOREST — As of Monday, July 19, the Lick Creek Fire, which combined with the Dry Gulch Fire, has impacted 71,512 acres of land and remains 40% contained.

On Monday, crews secured and strengthened containment lines throughout the region. Ongoing Aerial operations have aided burnout efforts while other aircraft are being used to survey the region and locate spot fires and hotspots throughout the region.

Ground crews at the southern-most tip of the fire spent the day searching for hotspots and patrolling pre-established fire lines. Authorities in charge of the operation say that the fire has largely slowed down with much of it smoldering within heavily monitored hot areas. There is much less fire activity within unburned sections of the containment zone with crews confident that the spread or growth of the fire is minimal.

Image credit: Lick Creek Fire, Facebook

RELATED: Wildfire danger temporarily closes entire Umatilla National Forest

With that being the case, evacuation levels have been updated to reflect less dire circumstances in the region. Level 2 evacuation orders in Garfield County and the Cloverland area of Asotin County have been downgraded to Level 1. Level 2 evacuation orders remain in place south of the Lick Creek Fire within the Gourse Flats area.

Warm and dry weather conditions are expected to persist with a chance of light thunderstorms causing a Red Flag warning for the region from Monday afternoon through Wednesday morning. High winds on Sunday night into Monday morning caused concern with a few spot fires around the area, but crews were able to extinguish those fires without any serious setbacks taking place.

A perimeter has been established on the North and East sides of the fire along the South Fork of Asotin Creek. Crews worked to patrol and maintain the fire line on Monday while other crews worked to strengthen the containment lines near the Cloverland snow park and Forest Service Road 43.

RECENT WILDFIRE HEADLINES FROM THE KAPP-KVEW NEWS STAFF:

• Eastern Washington DNR lands to close amid wildfire danger
• Wildfire Season: A Guide to Evacuation Levels and Important Terminology
• TODAY: Green Ridge Fire burns more than 1,500 acres, 15% contained
• JULY 16: Lick Creek, Elbow Creek, Green Ridge Fires span 75,000 acres
• JULY 16: Yakima Canyon brush fire contained to five acres, S.R. 821 set to re-open in afternoon

RELATED: Wildfire Season — Here’s what you should keep in your emergency “Go Bag”