205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM
Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 08/07/2014 - Current Smoke in Ellensburg is from a 500 acre fire on the backside of the Cle Elum Ridge which was reported shortly after 4:00 p.m.
This fire is on the heavily timbered land of the US Forrest Service, South of the Cle Elum Ridge between the 3300 Road and the 4510 Road. Sheriff's Deputies have initiated a Level 1 Evacuation Notice for the homes off the Woods & Steele Road. Deputies are going door to door with a cautionary warning about the fire. No one is being advised to evacuate at this time. The Forrest Service responded very quickly to this fire and, at their request, The Sheriff's Office and Public Works Department have placed barricades closing the 4510 Road. An Incident Management Team is reported to have been requested, specific to this fire.The Sheriff's Emergency Operations Center is now monitoring both the Snag Canyon Fire in Ellensburg and the South Cle Elum Ridge Fire. Should evacuation be necessary, the Red Cross will activate a shelter and the EOC will allocate resources to insure public safety and the protection of critical infrastructure. If you are a resident close to the active burn site or in the path of the smoke, Kittitas County Public Health asks that you limit your time outdoors in order to limit exposure to unhealthy or hazardous air quality. Stay inside, especially in air conditioning, or go where there is healthier air to breathe. Smoke from wildfire contains gases and fine particles that can cause burning to the eyes. The gases and fine particles can also be inhaled deep into your lungs, which makes it harder to breathe and can worsen other health conditions like asthma, according to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). N95 masks are available at KCPHD. KCPHD will inform Kittitas County residents of future air quality issues as a result of the Fires. For more information about health concerns relating to air quality, informational resources, or N95 masks please contact KCPHD at (509)-962-7515.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
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Contact: Clayton Myers, Undersheriffclay.myers@co.kittitas.wa.us509-925-8534