OKANOGAN COUNTY, WA - Communities across Okanogan County, Washington, continue to grapple with the Sinlahekin Fire, which has burned more than 139,000 acres since it was sparked by lightning in late July. As crews work to bring the massive wildfire under control, members of the region’s agricultural community are among those watching conditions closely.
According to KREM reporting shared by MSN, the Sinlahekin Fire had burned 139,539 acres and was 34 percent contained as of August 9. The fire began around 2 p.m. on July 26 after a lightning strike, with strong winds quickly pushing the blaze north.
Fire activity had remained minimal along the southern and eastern portions of the incident, allowing crews to reinforce containment lines and continue mop-up operations around structures within the fire perimeter.
The scale of the fire is hitting particularly close to home for members of Okanogan County’s agricultural community. Fourth-generation orchardist Kaitlyn Thornton shared an update on LinkedIn as the blaze surpassed 100,000 acres.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out; we are okay here. The Sinlahekin fire blazes on through my county; now over 100k acres,” Thornton wrote. “Please keep my community in your prayers. Let the rebuilding process begin…”
Consistent watering has allowed orchards in the area to go mainly unaffected, but growers report that the largest impact to treefruit is currently air quality from forest first smoke, which is prevalent across eastern Washington and makes outdoor work like harvesting a challenge.
Evacuation orders in several areas northeast of the fire near Oroville had been downgraded to Level 2 as of KREM’s August 9 report. State Route 97 was open, though several roads within the fire area remained closed.
With more than 139,000 acres affected and recovery already on the minds of local residents, the full impact of the Sinlahekin Fire on Okanogan County and its agricultural community remains to be seen.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue monitoring developments impacting the region.
