The firefight continues Today against the large Schneider Springs Fire now at 8 percent containment. Officials with the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest say the fire grew more than 1,400 acres on Wednesday to 73.403 acres.

A LOT OF EQUIPMENT AND PEOPLE ARE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE FIRE

Nearly 600 people are working the fire with 11 hand crews, 45 engines, 6 dozers, 6 aircraft and 24 other pieces of heavy equipment.
Fire officials say while the growth of the fire has slowed the battle continues. Fire officials say flames increased in the Little Rattlesnake drainage Wednesday afternoon with several spot fires to the south of the Little Rattlesnake. A press release says firefighters “took advantage of the cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity through the evening hours to methodically put fire on the ridge to begin to contain the southern portion of the fire and prevent the fire from moving south towards critical infrastructure and Naches.”

FIREFIGHTERS PROTECTING STRUCTURES WHILE CONDUCTING BACKFIRES

Today firefighters are concentrating on the southern edge of the fire with what is called a firing operation. They say it could take several days “as crews work along the indirect containment lines followed by fire engines holding the fire inside containment lines and monitoring and patrolling for potential spot fires. Structure protection work continues along Bumping River Road and the Highway 410 corridor today. Crews are constructing and improving indirect fire lines around cabins and outbuildings near the Highway 410 and US 12 junction. As containment increases to the west of the Nile.”

FIRE OFFICIALS SAY STAY AWAY FROM RIMROCK LAKE

Fire officials urge people to stay away from Rimrock lake. According to a Facebook post from the Rimrock cabin owners “campers, boaters, cabin owners, closed is closed and no one except caretakers should be up there. All recreational use and the lake are closed until further notice.  The aircraft can’t skim to reload water if they see any watercraft. Please get out of the lake and vacate the area.”

ALL EVACUATION LEVELS REMAIN THE SAME

Evacuation levels remain the same: LEVEL 3: Bumping River Road from north to south; LEVEL 2: Hwy 410 from Bumping River Road to U.S. Route 12. LEVEL 1: From U.S. 12 at Hwy 410 west to Tieton Reservoir Road; Yakima County Office of Emergency Management’s official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YakimaCountyOEM.

State officials now estimate full containment by October 1.
Calmer winds and cooler temperatures are expected to help firefighters battle the flames this weekend.

The fire was started on August 3 by a lightning strike.
Campfire restrictions remain in place in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

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