08/15/17 Head Water Fire Update

GOLDENDALE, Wash. – Smoke will increase from the Head Water Fire today as crews implement small burnouts to the fire’s perimeter to solidify containment lines. West winds should blow the smoke east, away from Glenwood toward Box Canyon. Fire commanders expect to have the fire 60 percent contained after Tuesday operations.

Washington Department of Corrections officials are working with local law enforcement and Washington and Oregon state police to locate a pair of inmates who escaped from the Department of Corrections fire camp at the incident command post at 2:35 a.m. today, Tuesday. A Department of Corrections inmate recovery team is searching for the inmates alongside local law enforcement and the Washington and Oregon state patrols. 

Fire managers contract with the Department of Corrections to use low-risk offenders on fire crews. To serve on fire crews, inmates must have less than 48 months remaining on their sentences and must meet other criteria like positive behavior, physical fitness for work requirements and cannot be convicted of disqualifying crimes such as arson, escape or sex offenses.

More information about the inmates is posted online at: https://t.co/MvlRPizksL

The Headwater Fire started on private property Saturday, Aug. 12 near Jenkins Creek about 11 miles northeast of Goldendale.

More accurate mapping reduced the current size of the fire to 89 acres.

Southeast Washington Interagency Type 3 Team 1 is deploying approximately 236 firefighters from local, private, state and federal firefighting agencies to contain the fire, with Pasco Fire Department Chief Bob Gear as Incident Commander. 

Updates will be provided as they happen on the Southeast Washington Incident Management Team Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sewaimt, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SE_WA_IMT

-- Joe Smillie, Public Information Officer

(360)688-3392