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Eagle Bluff fire near Oroville estimated at 10,000 acres, jumps border

Published 8:00 am Monday, July 31, 2023

By Gary A. De Von editor@gazette-tribune.com

A plane drops water on hot spots along the Similkameen River last Saturday evening. The Eagle Bluff Fire, which began near Blue Lake Road spread quickly northward pushed by winds, eventually jumping the border into Canada. <em>Gary DeVon/staff photo </em>

A plane drops water on hot spots along the Similkameen River last Saturday evening. The Eagle Bluff Fire, which began near Blue Lake Road spread quickly northward pushed by winds, eventually jumping the border into Canada. Gary DeVon/staff photo

OROVILLE – The Eagle Bluff Fire, burning near Oroville, is estimated at approximately 10,000 acres with no containment as of 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 30, according to the Okanogan County Emergency Management.

As the fire moved northward Saturday, the Okanogan County Sheriff’s office evacuated area residences on both sides of Highway 97 from the Canadian border to Oroville that were evaluated to be at risk due to fire behavior. These evacuation notices have now been lifted and the Red Cross Shelter at Oroville High School has been closed.

The fire is still very active and visible from Oroville and the Level 3 Evacuation Levels are being reduced to Level 2, ‘Be Ready to Evacuate.’ Boundary Point Road and Shirley Road, which were closed on Saturday are now open.

“The Loomis-Oroville Road is still closed due to guardrail damage, rocks rolling off the hillside, and fire equipment and personnel on the roadway from Oroville to Nighthawk. Blue Lake Road is closed from Golden Road to Wannacut Lake. Ellemeham Mountain Road is closed at Golden Road,” stated Emergency Management in their Sunday update.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The most up-to-date evacuation information, road closures and other important community information can be found at the Okanogan County Emergency Management webpage: https://okanogancounty.org/government/emergency_management/active_incidents.php

If anyone has received damage or lost structures they are asked to call Okanogan County Emergency Management and report it at 509-422-7206.

For more info https://evbg.co/dx1u64 .

About Gary DeVon

Gary DeVon is the managing editor of the Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune and celebrated his 25th year at the newspaper in August 2012. He graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Communications - Print Journalism, with an emphasis in photojournalism. He is a proud alumnus of Oroville High School. His family first settled in Okanogan County in the late 1800s. His parents are Judy DeVon and the late Larry DeVon and he has two younger brothers - Dante and Michael. Many family members still call Oroville home. He has a grown daughter, Segornae Douglas and a young granddaughter, Erin.

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