Inchelium Community Stands Strong Against Massive Blaze

Washington State Representative Hunter Abell, R-Inchelium, made a resolute statement on July 31 via social media as the 40,000-plus acre Modrite Fire moved north towards the Ferry County community. “Inchelium is tough. While some houses are no longer standing, our community is still standing tall,” he wrote on social media. Residents under “Go Now” evacuation orders dug in and began working on lines around Inchelium, while also tackling spot fires.

East Ferry County was faced with a challenge on Aug. 1: how to protect a community during unprecedented conditions with 40-50 mile per hour winds forecasted, and the nearby southern Stevens County and north Spokane bursting into flames. The Gifford Ferry ceased service and people were told by officials to evacu- ate. “Extreme and extensive winds affected the Modrite Fire for six hours yester- day,” the Northern Rockies CIMT No. 3 Fire Up- date said on Sunday, Aug. 2. “But the fire stayed south of Bridge Creek on the west side of Inchelium and did not cross the Kewa Meteor Road As of Monday (Aug. 3), Inchelium still stood but the devastation was palpable. Several structures and homes around Inchelium have been lost and uncertainty remaining as the blaze stretched for 23 miles along Lake Roosevelt on the Ferry County side.”

“This fire has been a monster and a nightmare for so many,” Hunters resident Bobbi Ward said on social media. “It is moving up the river so fast. Thinking of all of those in its path or working hard to fight it.” According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the Modrite Fire came within a mile of Inchelium. Washington National Guard air units aided in fighting the fire, including large air tankers. Federal Emergency Management Agency funds were approved for use to those who suffered loss during the Modrite Fire’s wake.

Incident command said that wind directions on Aug. 2 should have pushed the blaze back onto the previously burned interior. Burning is expected to continue to the west where the fire is uncontained. A false alarm on Aug. 1 by people reading the Watch Duty fire app heat map caused Stevens County fire resources to be pulled to the Gifford campground. This resulted in fire officials stating that Watch Duty is not an official source of information and its heat mapping was incorrect. Officials said the fire was caused by lightning.

Rizn Ranch Resolute After Modrite Fire Scorches Inchelium Property

Rebecca Cummins and the animals at Rizn Ranch have been living in the shadow of the Modrite Fire, where repeated red flag warnings continue to bring back the fear of the fire’s initial advance. The fire burned across much of the ranch property near Inchelium but spared the home. As Cummins begins assessing the damage and rebuilding what was lost, the work of caring for animals has not stopped. Cummins founded Rizn Ranch, which raises and rescues livestock guardian dogs.

Through its Second Chance LGD (Livestock Guardian Dog) program, she said the ranch evaluates dogs’ personalities and places them with farms and families where they are likely to succeed rather than allowing them to enter or remain in shelters. Since the Modrite Fire began displacing residents, Cummins said the ranch has also taken in livestock guardian dogs belonging to families who evacuated or lost their homes. That responsibility has made responding to the fire more complicated. “Because of the animals and the work we do at Rizn Ranch, evacuation hasn’t been as simple as loading up and leaving,” Cummins said. “Someone has had to stay behind to care for the livestock and dogs, even while evacuation orders have remained in place.” The latest period of red flag conditions over the weekend brought anxiety as strong winds again threatened to increase fire activity throughout the area. “The past 24 hours have been mentally and emotionally exhausting,” Cummins said. “Every time red flag conditions are announced, it brings back the fear and uncertainty of when this fire first started.

The wind is a constant reminder of how quickly everything can change.” Cummins said she has also taken on the role of sharing fire information with people throughout the Inchelium area. She has spent hours gathering and posting updates through social media as residents search for reliable information about evacuation notices, road conditions, and fire movement. “When communication is limited and information changes quickly, people are desperate for reliable updates,” she said. “Keeping people informed has become another full-time responsibility, but it’s one I feel is important because no one wants to feel left in the dark when their homes, families, and livelihoods may be at risk.” While the Modrite Fire has destroyed homes, barns, fencing, and other property, Cummins said it has also demonstrated the strength of the Inchelium community. “I’ve never seen a community come together like this one has,” she said. “Neighbors have helped evacuate livestock, donated hay, fencing materials, feed, equipment, and their time. People who have lost homes and barns themselves are still showing up to help others.”

Among those affected is a family with generational ties to Inchelium. Cummins said several members of the extended family lost homes in the fire after spending years contributing to the community. “They helped shape this community through education, childcare, and years of service, and multiple members of their extended family lost their homes in this fire.” Their losses have been felt throughout the area because of the number of people whose lives they have influenced, Cummins said. Rizn Ranch has received similar support from neighbors and people far beyond Ferry County. Offers of assistance have arrived from the local community and from people across the country who learned about the ranch’s losses and its continuing work with displaced dogs, she said. “We’ve experienced that same spirit firsthand at Rizn Ranch,” Cummins said. Cummins added that the support has provided encouragement during a period marked by damage, exhaustion, and uncertainty. “It’s been a powerful reminder that, while fire can take so much, it can also bring out the very best in people,” she said. Life within the burn area remains difficult, even when flames are not immediately visible. “The smoke has also been one of the hardest parts,” Cummins said. “We don’t have power, so at night we’re trying to cool the house by opening windows, but that often means letting smoke pour back inside after breathing it all day.”

She described the decision as a trade-off. “It’s a constant balancing act between escaping the heat and protecting your lungs, and it’s something many people here are still dealing with every single day,” Cummins said. The emotional impact of seeing the ranch burned and the surrounding community damaged can be difficult to process, she said, but the daily needs of the animals leave little time to stop. “We’re taking it one day at a time,” she said. “There are moments when the emotional weight of it all catches up with you, but the animals still need to be fed, cared for, and protected every day. The rescue work hasn’t stopped just because we’ve experienced loss ourselves. If anything, the need has grown.” Continuing the rescue work has given Cummins and the ranch a sense of direction during the early stages of recovery. “Instead of focusing only on what we’ve lost, we’re focused on helping the next dog, the next family, and taking the next step toward rebuilding,” she said. Cummins said the immediate emergency response has brought substantial assistance to the area, but the greatest need will be sustained, long-term support after the fire is contained and attention begins to move elsewhere. “We’re so grateful for everyone who has stepped in to help,”

Cummins said. “But recovery is going to take months, if not years. Families are rebuilding homes, barns, fencing, replacing hay and equipment, and trying to restore their livelihoods.” At Rizn Ranch, rebuilding must take place alongside the organization’s continuing rescue work. “We’re rebuilding while continuing to rescue and care for livestock guardian dogs that still need a safe place to land,” Cummins said. She said donations, supplies, volunteer labor, and continued public awareness will remain important long after the immediate danger has passed.

Kaiser Canyon Fire Sees Minimal Growth on Saturday

Washington’s largest currently burning fire, the Kaiser Canyon Fire, located in Okanogan County, saw minimal growth on Saturday, Aug. 1, during the red flag conditions, but is reported at more than 136,000 acres burned as of Monday, Aug. 3. The fire, which threatened Nespelem and burned into Ferry County, sits on the Republic area’s west flank while the Mordite Fire has been burning north on Ferry County’s east flank. Evacuation orders span massive expanses of land, while over 1,000 firefighters are battling the blazes. Fire officials reported that up to 24 structures have been lost in the large fire. Officials said the fire was caused by lightning.