Fire near Finley started by vehicle driving off road
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, September 5th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
FINLEY – A vehicle driving off road is believed to have started the Yellepit Fire on Friday, at approximately 6:18 p.m. near the town of Finley, Benton County Fire District 1 Public Information Officer Jenna Kochenauer said.
At last report the fire is 100 percent contained and has been mapped at 1,580 acres. The last strike team demobilized Monday morning.
Benton County Fire District No. 1 Chief Lonnie Click requested state fire assistance to be mobilized Saturday morning as the fire was burning in grass and brush, threatening crops, power infrastructure, and the BNSF Railway mainline. No evacuations were put into effect.
“Cooler temperatures and recent rains will not change the dry, dead vegetation in our wildland areas,” Kochenauer said. “We are still in an extreme fire danger status in Benton County and need residents to always expect to start a fire while recreating.”
Photo via Benton County Fire District 1
