They had a new audience, but it was a familiar refrain as Okanogan County residents still reeling from the wildfires of the past two summer argued for better forest management — in particular, through logging and grazing, but also thinning and prescribed burning — to reduce fire risk. U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse brought his congressional colleague from Pennsylvania, Glenn “GT” Thompson, to Okanogan County on …
Fire
Reddington hopes to restore artwork damaged in fire
Methow Valley artist Ginger Reddington was another victim of the arson fire that damaged the Twisp River Pub on Feb. 29. Reddington, who lives with her husband, Don, on Benson Creek south of Twisp, had 17 of her original works on display at the pub. None were destroyed, but all were damaged by smoke and […]
Investigators wrapping up Twisp River Pub fire review
Fire investigators were expected to wrap up their work early this week on the premises of the Twisp River Pub, which was extensively damaged by fire that has been determined to be arson. Twisp Police Chief Paul Budrow said Tuesday (March 15) that there appears to…
Investigation of Twisp River Pub fire continues; more evidence sought
Investigators were continuing to look for evidence this week in connection with a fire at the Twisp River Pub that Twisp Police Chief Paul Budrow said was almost certainly arson. “I’m 90 percent sure it’s arson,” Budrow said Tuesday (March 8). “I’m going with the belief it is arson.” Budrow said he would begin interviews this week…
Sifting through the ashes
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has been asked to assist in the investigation of a fire that caused extensive damage to the Twisp River Pub early Monday morning (Feb. 29).
Brian Brett, a fire investigator from Douglas County, conducted…
Recommendations for Mission Project go to Forest Service
Recommendations for thinning and prescribed burning on about 7,500 acres in the Buttermilk and Libby watersheds were provided to the Methow Ranger District last week as it develops plans for a large forest restoration project.
Restoring the forests
In an era of increasingly large and destructive forest fires, a strategy for managing Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest lands to make them more resilient will soon be put to its first test in the Methow Valley.
The nation’s dry forests, especially forests like …
Thinning, prescribed burning proposed for Libby, Buttermilk creek watersheds; local reactions mixed
If nature were allowed to run its course, portions of the Libby Creek and Buttermilk Creek watersheds would have experienced natural fires every five to 15 years.
Those fires historically played a role in keeping forests healthy — burning at low intensity, clearing out …
Power pole fire causes outage
A power pole fire near the town of Okanogan knocked out electricity to the Methow Valley north of Carlton for six hours Saturday night. The fire began at 6:20 p.m. and burned an Okanogan Public Utility District (PUD) transmission line power pole near Okanogan. The fire caused an outage on the line that carries power […]
Gov. Inslee declares ‘emergency conditions’ across the state
Extreme heat and drought conditions across the state have prompted Gov. Jay Inslee to issue an emergency proclamation for all 39 counties, activating essential resources needed to prevent and contain wildfires. Forecasts call for continued high temperatures and dry conditions around the state, creating …
