New wildfire burns in Eastern Washington

DAVENPORT, Wash. — A new wildfire dubbed the Swanson Lake Fire has burned about 35 square miles of mostly grass and sagebrush along with some scattered timber in Eastern Washington’s Lincoln County.

Capt. Scott Crawford of the Spokane Valley Firefighters said Tuesday the blaze broke out at 4:30 p.m. Monday and has destroyed an abandoned grange and an abandoned farmhouse. He says no occupied houses have been destroyed and there have been no injuries.

Crawford says about 100 firefighters with two bulldozers had been called out to battle the blaze Tuesday.

Crawford says three people who volunteered to leave their homes in the Hawk Creek Ranch area spent the night at a Red Cross Center in Davenport.

Crawford says the fire is on state Department of Resouces land and some fire districts land.

The fire began southeast of Creston, Wash., and moved to the northeast. It temporarily closed U.S. Highway 2 and State Route 25 Monday night, but the highways were open Tuesday.

Crawford says the cause of the fire is under investigation.