Firefighters brought a suspicious fire under control near Methow on Friday (Sept. 11).
The Cumbo Fire, burning in shrub steppe between Burma Road and Cumbo Flat, about a mile northwest of Methow, was reported at 2 p.m. Friday, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said.
Multiple agencies and DNR aircraft responded to the fire, which grew to 51 acres. The initial call went to the Pateros and Methow fire stations from Okanogan County Fire District 15.
Fire investigators seek information on two suspicious vehicles seen near the fire. Witnesses reported hearing motorcycles operating off-road near the fire’s origin and then saw two white pickup trucks leaving the scene at a high rate of speed, DNR said.
DNR described the pickups as a crew cab Chevrolet carrying two red motorcycles, and a truck of unknown make with a black canopy or black utility box, pulling a white utility trailer.
Anyone with information on these vehicles is asked to contact DNR Fire Investigator Chad Unland at chad.unland@dnr.wa.gov.
