CWU to provide rooms for visiting firefighters

Central Washington University is providing rooms in Wendell Hill Hall where crews who fight fire at night can rest during the day. Firefighters battling the Snag Canyon Fire need a cooler, darker alternative to the dome tents scattered throughout the Kittitas County Fairgrounds.

Army National Guard soldiers are among the 70 people staying in Wendell Hill Hall. They will be arriving Thursday and Friday and will be in town helping with the fire north of Ellensburg for two to three weeks. CWU also may provide shelter for additional out-of-town firefighters arriving over the weekend.

The Snag Canyon Fire burning 12 miles north of Ellensburg started by lightning on Saturday, August 2. As of noon Wednesday about 500 personnel were working to control the fire, which was estimated to be 6,400 acres.

Photo: Smoke rises from the Snag Canyon Fire north of Ellensburg
on Tuesday, August 5. (Washington Incident Management Team 1)

More information:
InciWeb Incident Information System | CWU Fire Updates
Air Quality Advisory Map | Kittitas County Emergency Response

August 6, 2014