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Public Safety

State Fire Mobilization for Kittitas County Fire

πŸ”Š Listen Β· narrated by Aiden

State fire assistance has been mobilized to support local firefighters containing the Ryegrass Coulee Fire in Kittitas County near Vantage. Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization on July 8, 2026, at 7:45 p.m., at the request of Fire Chief William Rose of Kittitas County Fire District 4. The fire started July 8 at 4:51 p.m. and is estimated at 600 acres, burning in grass, brush, and timber. It threatens homes, power infrastructure, and structures in Vantage, with Level 2 and Level 3 evacuations in effect.

The State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray is activated to Level 2. Mobilization specialists ordered two wildland strike teams and air resources to aid containment. State Fire Marshal’s Office personnel are coordinating resource dispatch. The fire cause is under investigation.

The Chelan Hills Fire in Douglas County also received state fire assistance on July 4, 2026, with a 400-acre fire near Orondo and Chelan Falls. However, this fire does not affect Skamania County.

WSP is seeking witnesses to a hit-and-run collision on SR-96 near Dumas Road/Elgin Way SE on June 25, 2026. A pedestrian was struck and the vehicle fled westbound over I-5 into Everett. The vehicle was a silver/grey late 90s/early 2000s Chevrolet Tahoe missing a passenger side marker light. WSP Detective Nick Brockman asks for information at (360) 757-2008.

πŸ“„ Source: WA State Patrol News β€” https://wsp.wa.gov/
Checked against the public record25 of 26 claims Β· 96%

Every factual claim below was checked against the original public record. Source: original document β†—

  • βœ“
    State fire assistance has been mobilized to support local firefighters containing the Ryegrass Coulee Fireβ€œState fire assistance has been mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan in support of local firefighters working to contain the Ryegrass Coulee Fire located in Kittitas County, near Vantage.”
  • βœ“
    The Ryegrass Coulee Fire is in Kittitas County near Vantageβ€œState fire assistance has been mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan in support of local firefighters working to contain the Ryegrass Coulee Fire located in Kittitas County, near Vantage.”
  • βœ“
    Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization on July 8, 2026β€œWashington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources on July 8, 2026, at 7:45 p.m. at the request of Fire Chief William Rose, Kittitas County Fire District 4.”
  • βœ“
    The mobilization was at 7:45 p.m. on July 8, 2026β€œWashington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources on July 8, 2026, at 7:45 p.m. at the request of Fire Chief William Rose, Kittitas County Fire District 4.”
  • βœ“
    The mobilization was at the request of Fire Chief William Rose of Kittitas County Fire District 4β€œWashington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources on July 8, 2026, at 7:45 p.m. at the request of Fire Chief William Rose, Kittitas County Fire District 4.”
  • βœ“
    The Ryegrass Coulee Fire started on July 8 at 4:51 p.m.β€œThe Ryegrass Coulee Fire started on July 8, 2026, at approximately 4:51 p.m.”
  • βœ“
    The Ryegrass Coulee Fire is estimated at 600 acresβ€œThis fire is estimated at 600 acres and growing.”
  • βœ“
    The Ryegrass Coulee Fire is burning in grass, brush, and timberβ€œIt is burning in grass, brush, and timber and is threatening homes, power infrastructure, and structures in the community of Vantage.”
  • βœ“
    The Ryegrass Coulee Fire threatens homes, power infrastructure, and structures in Vantageβ€œIt is burning in grass, brush, and timber and is threatening homes, power infrastructure, and structures in the community of Vantage.”
  • βœ“
    Level 2 and Level 3 evacuations are in effect for the Ryegrass Coulee Fireβ€œLevel 2 and Level 3 evacuations are in effect at this time.”
  • βœ“
    The State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray is activated to Level 2β€œThe State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray is activated to Level 2, partial activation, to help coordinate state assistance for the Ryegrass Coulee Fire.”
  • βœ“
    Mobilization specialists ordered two wildland strike teams to aid containmentβ€œMobilization specialists from the Fire Protection Bureau have ordered two wildland strike teams and air resources to aid in containment efforts.”
  • βœ“
    Mobilization specialists ordered air resources to aid containmentβ€œMobilization specialists from the Fire Protection Bureau have ordered two wildland strike teams and air resources to aid in containment efforts.”
  • βœ“
    State Fire Marshal’s Office personnel are coordinating resource dispatchβ€œState Fire Marshal’s Office personnel are both en route and working remotely to coordinate the dispatch of resources.”
  • βœ“
    The cause of the Ryegrass Coulee Fire is under investigationβ€œThe fire cause is currently under investigation.”
  • βœ“
    The Chelan Hills Fire in Douglas County also received state fire assistance on July 4, 2026β€œState fire assistance has been mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan in support of local firefighters working to contain the Chelan Hills Fire located in Douglas County, near Orondo and Chelan Falls.”
  • βœ“
    The Chelan Hills Fire is a 400-acre fire near Orondo and Chelan Fallsβ€œThe Chelan Hills Fire started on July 4, 2026, at approximately 12:05 a.m. This fire is estimated at 400 acres and”
  • ⚠
    The Chelan Hills Fire does not affect Skamania Countyβ€œnull”
  • βœ“
    WSP is seeking witnesses to a hit-and-run collision on SR-96 near Dumas Road/Elgin Way SEβ€œWSP seeking witnesses to an injury hit-and-run collision β€” Tue, 07 Jul 2026 21:06:57 +0000 July 7, 2026 MILL CREEK, Wash. – The Washington State Patrol (WSP) is actively investigating an injury hit-and-run collision that occurred at 1:56 a.m. on June 25, 2026, on westbound State Route 96 near Dumas Road/Elgin Way SE.”
  • βœ“
    The hit-and-run collision occurred on June 25, 2026β€œA pedestrian was walking in the westbound lane in the same area. The unknown vehicle struck the pedestrian and fled the collision scene. The unknown vehicle continued westbound on State Route 96 over Interstate 5 into Everett, Wash. on 128th St SW. A witness described the driver as a white male, approximately 40-50s, with a younger looking female passenger. Camera footage captured the unknown vehicle that was involved in the hit-and-run injury collision. As a result of the collision, the vehicle is missing the passenger side marker light. See screen shot below from camera footage. WSP Detective Nick Brockman is asking for witnesses of the collision, anyone with information on the fleeing vehicle, or anyone who was in the area at the time with a dash camera to call (360) 757-2008. Your assistance is appreciated as detectives work to locate the suspect and suspect vehicle. Release sent by Trooper Kelsey Harding, D7 PIO The post WSP seeking witnesses to an injury hit-and-run collision appeared first on Washington State Patrol . Source: https://wsp.wa.gov/wsp-seeking-witnesses-to-an-injury-hit-and-run-collision/”
  • βœ“
    A pedestrian was struck in the hit-and-run collisionβ€œA pedestrian was walking in the westbound lane in the same area. The unknown vehicle struck the pedestrian and fled the collision scene.”
  • βœ“
    The vehicle fled westbound over I-5 into Everettβ€œThe unknown vehicle continued westbound on State Route 96 over Interstate 5 into Everett, Wash. on 128th St SW.”
  • βœ“
    The vehicle in the hit-and-run collision was a silver/grey late 90s/early 2000s Chevrolet Tahoeβ€œA silver/grey late 90s, early 2000s Chevrolet Tahoe style vehicle with an unknown license plate was westbound on State Route 96 near Dumas Road/Elgin Way SE.”
  • βœ“
    The vehicle in the hit-and-run collision was missing a passenger side marker lightβ€œAs a result of the collision, the vehicle is missing the passenger side marker light.”
  • βœ“
    WSP Detective Nick Brockman asks for information about the hit-and-run collisionβ€œWSP Detective Nick Brockman is asking for witnesses of the collision, anyone with information on the fleeing vehicle, or anyone who was in the area at the time with a dash camera to call (360) 757-2008.”
  • βœ“
    WSP Detective Nick Brockman can be contacted at (360) 757-2008β€œWSP Detective Nick Brockman is asking for witnesses of the collision, anyone with information on the fleeing vehicle, or anyone who was in the area at the time with a dash camera to call (360) 757-2008.”

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