Red Apple Fire prompts declaration to access firefighting resources
information released
In response to the Red Apple Fire that is currently burning north of Wenatchee, a state of emergency has been declared in Chelan County.
A resolution declaring a disaster in Chelan County was signed this morning by Commissioner Kevin Overbay. County policy allows for one of the three commissioners of Chelan County to declare a state of emergency exists after counseling with public safety officers or Chelan County Emergency Management. Commissioners Bob Bugert and Tiffany Gering will sign the formal resolution on Monday at the regularly scheduled Board of County Commissioners meeting.
The emergency declaration affords commissioners the ability to use local resources without going through the typical government bidding process for goods and services. It is also generally a prerequisite for most state and federal recovery assistance funding. Governor Jay Inslee earlier this month also declared a statewide state of emergency related to the growing risk of wildfires.
A brush fire was reported at about 6:55 p.m. Tuesday near Red Apple Road outside Cashmere. The fire quickly grew over night to about 4,000 acres. The resolution states that 1,065 homes are at Level 3 evacuation status. Those homes are in the Sunnyslope area of Wenatchee, from Highway 2 and Burch Mountain Road to north of Easy Street and American Fruit Road. At this time, there are no reports of dwellings being destroyed.
For updates on the wildfire, including evacuation alerts, monitor the Chelan County Emergency Management Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CCSOEM/.
