Kaiser Canyon Fire grows to 124,000 acres, 15% contained, new evacuations in Washington

The Kaiser Canyon Fire, ignited by a lightning strike on July 16, has burned an estimated 124,251 acres across Okanogan County, Washington, and is 15% contained as of July 27. The blaze has forced Level 3 (GET OUT) evacuation orders along a 30‑mile stretch of State Route 21 and additional evacuations on State Route 155 and near the towns of Nespelem and Omak.

Fire crews from the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team have deployed 884 personnel, aerial assets and ground crews to protect structures, with 13 buildings already destroyed. Two emergency shelters in Omak and one in Coulee Dam are housing evacuees, and animal shelters have opened in Grand Coulee, Okanogan and Omak. Smoke from the fire has degraded air quality across the Columbia Basin, Spokane Valley and parts of the Idaho Panhandle.