A Kennewick fire south of Washington state's Tri-Cities pushed into Level 3 “Go Now” evacuations on Thursday as the Locust Grove Fire grew quickly. Emergency crews first responded shortly after midnight, then kept adding resources as the flames spread toward nearby properties.
The blaze reached about 20 acres on Thursday, according to WatchDuty. Incident commanders asked for additional wildland strike teams, including a second unit dedicated to structure protection, as crews tried to keep the fire from reaching homes and other buildings.
Locust Grove Fire response
Firefighters expanded the response after the first reports came in shortly after midnight. A third strike team was later requested, and another wildland strike team from Walla Walla County was also called in as the fire kept growing.
The escalation shows how quickly the response changed during the day. The fire was still being fought while crews were trying to stop it from threatening buildings, so the operation shifted from initial attack to protecting structures and strengthening the line around the burn area.
Kennewick and West Pasco
The Level 3 order affected people near Kennewick and West Pasco, where the fire was being watched as it spread south of Washington state's Tri-Cities. People in West Pasco shared images of the fire as it grew, adding to the pressure on crews already asking for more help.
For anyone in the evacuation area, the practical step is simple: leave immediately under the Level 3 “Go Now” order. The remaining open question is whether the fire was contained or whether any homes or buildings were ultimately damaged.
