Central Ferry fire burns 3,000 acres

WHITMAN COUNTY–Washington State and Garfield County Fire District No. 1 deployed assistance for the Central Ferry Riparia blaze which burned more than 3,000 acres in a wild fire August 4, 2022.

State fire assistance was mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan in support of local firefighters which included a three-member team and brush truck from the Garfield County Fire District No. 1. Together they worked to contain the Riparia Fire located in Whitman County, at Central Ferry. The Riparia was estimated at the time, that 3,000 acres had burned. Homes, crops, railroad and critical infrastructure were threatened. Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources on August 4, 2022, at 10 p.m. at the request of Fire Chief JB Broeckel, Whitman County Fire District 8.

The Riparia Fire started on August 4, 2022, at approximately 4:30 p.m. Level 2 and 3 evacuations were put into effect. The fire cause is currently under investigation.