Railroad Fire In Grant County Has Destroyed 50 Structures, Officials Say – Now 90% Contained
Crews in Western Grant County are on the verge of fully containing a destructive wildfire that sparked last week.
The Railroad Fire ignited in the late evening hours of July 22 and spread rapidly in gusty winds, forcing hundreds to evacuate in the towns of Beverly and Schawana.
The Southeast Washington Interagency Type 3 Team assigned to the fire say its approximated at 8,216 acres with 90% containment as of Monday (July 27) morning.
After conducting further assessments of the area over the weekend, the Grant County Sheriff's Office now says the blaze has destroyed a total of 50 structures, including 10 primary residences.
Despite the fire nearly reaching full containment, a Level 2 Evacuation Notice remains in effect for the entire towns of Beverly and Schawana, along with dozens of homes along Lower Crab Creek Road, which is also still closed to public access. And a Level 1 Fire Advisory also persists for Morrison Street to Road 24 Southwest and Road R Southwest to Road O Southwest.
The blaze forced a 15-mile stretch of State Route 243 to close for roughly 10 hours shortly after sparking, but it has since been, and has remained re-open.
After spreading east over portions of the Saddle Mountains and along Lower Crab Creek over the weekend, the fire is reportedly slowing down thanks to milder weather and lighter winds to start the week.
One person was reportedly treated for smoke inhalation after reporting symptoms while evacuating, but no other injuries have been reported.
The fire's cause remains under investigation.
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Gallery Credit: AJ Brewster