Residents allowed to return to small town as wildfire continues to burn

ROOSEVELT, Wash. — Residents of a small town in south central Washington were allowed to return to their homes Wednesday morning, after a Level 3 evacuation order for a wildfire pushed them out.

About 300 people were evacuated from the Columbia River town of Roosevelt Tuesday afternoon. Several structures, including barns, were burned by the fire that started around 1 p.m. and has since grown to 10,000 acres.

The fire is currently zero percent contained, officials said.

Around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, the mandatory evacuation order was lifted. Residents were allowed to return to their homes, but they were told to be aware that there is still an active fire in the area, and they should be prepared for more evacuations.

State and local crews fight the blaze about a mile north of the Klickitat County town on the Oregon border. Roosevelt has a population of fewer than 200 people. It was on the route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.



Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources.

The public is encouraged to avoid the area and use alternate travel routes. State Route 14 remains closed westbound at SR 211 and eastbound at US 97.