(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent)

Togo pack located in northern Ferry County has several livestock attacks since November…

A judge in Thurston County has blocked the WDFW’s order to lethally remove wolves in the Togo pack after several livestock attacks since November. This comes after wolf advocacy groups challenged the lethal removal in court.

Earlier this year, the court required WDFW to provide at least eight hours of public notice before beginning the lethal removal. Two conservation groups, The Center for Biological Diversity and Cascadia Wildlands used this time period to legally challenge the move. They called the WDFW’s decision, despite it following the state’s Wolf Advisory Group’s guidelines as not from a “reasoned decision-making process.”

The judge set August 31 as the court date for a preliminary injunction which could prevent WDFW from killing wolves until trial. More

(COLIN HAFFNER/Chewelah Independent)

Not even a tractor is safe from theft these days.

Spokane Regional Auto Theft Task Force detectives believe a Kubota L4701 tractor was stolen from its owners sometime between July 31 and August 3, according to an article on the KHQ website.

Detectives thought the bright orange tractor, which retails for around $29,000, was stolen with an intent to sell to an unwitting customer, the KHQ article stated.

The good news for the tractor owner is that the tractor was recovered after police received multiple tips that led the task force dtectives to locate and recover the equipment, KHQ reported.

However, KHQ reported that detectives are still looking for the perpetrators of the theft, and are still asking for tips that they hope will lead to identifying the suspects.

If you have any  information regarding the tractor theft, or can help identify the suspect, or suspects, police ask that you contact SRATTF Detective Steve White at 509-838-9383 or by email: steve.white@wsp.wa.gov, stated the KHQ article.

(PRESS RELEASE – Washington DNR and other firefighting agencies)

Stevens County fire burning across US/Canada border…

The Horns Mountain Fire is approximately 2,413 acres. Of those acres, 1,998 are in Washington and 415 in British Columbia. The fire is being managed under unified command between British Columbia Wildfire Services (BCWS) and Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 9 (NW9).  There are 434 personnel assigned to the fire, which includes those working with aircraft, engines, dozers, water tenders and various additional heavy equipment.

This is a busy fire season.  In the United States 27,407 firefighters and support staff are working on 108 large fires, with 53 being managed under a full suppression strategy.

In the Northwest there are over 9,000 firefighting personnel working on 8 large fires in Washington and 10 in Oregon.  Australia and New Zealand are supporting large fires in the Northwest and California with 138 fire management staff. More

(PRESS RELEASE/Washington DNR and other firefighting agencies)

Boyds Fire sees more containment from fire crews…

The Boyds Fire is located 3 miles west of Kettle Falls, WA. The footprint of the fire remains 3065 acres and is currently 43 percent contained. The fire continues to burn in grass, brush and timber. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Yesterday, crews worked on strengthening containment lines and are making good progress. Mop-up continued along the south side of Nancy Creek and around structures elsewhere on the fire. Burnout operations were initiated on the west side of the fire. Crews burned small areas to eliminate fuels and strengthen lines. Burn progression went well. Crews monitored for hotspots and helicopters dropping water to help cool the burnout areas. Night crews continue to monitor the fire, scouting for spots or flareups. The east and northeast side of the fire will transition to patrol status soon. More

(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent)

Smoke coming from the north as fires rage in British Columbia…

Unhealthy and hazardous air quality in Eastern Washington is expected to stick around until Thursday, the National Weather Service is reporting. Due to shifts in winds and large wildfires in the area, air quality quickly dipped over the weekend and hasn’t relented. Spokane has had the worst air quality in the nation and Stevens County hasn’t been much better.

As of Monday morning, Chewelah had a AQI of 252 which is considered “Very Unhealthy.” For scale, healthy air ratings are considered 0-50.

Children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory illnesses are most at risk of serious health effects. If you experience respiratory distress, you should speak with your physician.

Air quality improvement might be possible through Tuesday, potentially allowing the air quality to oscillate between unhealthy and moderate to good for a brief spell, but wind is expected to turn northerly today bringing smoke from ongoing fires in British Columbia into Washington and Idaho and cause a more pronounced and prolonged return to unhealthy levels.

For additional information on wildland fire smoke impacting Washington visit the Washington smoke blog at http://wasmoke.blogspot.com and for current Washington air quality levels, visit https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/ or airnow.gov.

Additional information for health recommendations, air quality, and wildfire information for Idaho can be found on the Idaho Smoke Information Blog at http://idsmoke.blogspot.com/

AQI CHART

(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent)

Democratic candidate Karen Hardy criticizes wait…

Ballots sat in Ferry County drop boxes for more than a week after Aug. 7 because county officials did not have the ability to collect them, reports the Spokesman Review. While not big in numbers, about 65 ballots sat in locked and sealed drop boxes outside of Ferry County seat Republic awaiting pickup by a state-mandated team of two people.

State law doesn’t mandate when the ballots have to be collected before the final count but that the boxes be emptied “with sufficient frequency to prevent damage and unauthorized access to the ballots.” More

(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent)

Gun activists say I-1639 initiative gathering signatures incorrectly…

An initiative aimed at gun control in the state of Washington may be blocked from appearing on the fall ballot after a Thurston County judge on Friday ruled that the formatting of the signatures for I-1639 did not follow Washington Law. Judge James Dixon said that the petitions much have readable, full, true and correct copies of the proposed measure.

The judge ordered Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman to stop the certification of the initiative which had sweeping gun control proposals including raising the purchase age to 21 for semi-automatic rifles. The initiative would also require enhanced background checks, waiting periods and training to obtain semi-automatic rifles.

The initiative would also require owners to keep their firearms secured in some sort of safe at home. If someone else obtained the firearm who was prohibited from having one, the gun owner could face misdemeanor or felony charges.

The judge did say that Secretary of State Kim Wyman “did exactly what she was supposed to do” in certifying the initiative under law. Now the state Supreme Court will make arguments about the proposal on Aug. 28.

Historically the Washington State Supreme Court has been hesitant to block initiatives from the ballot.

Gun-rights organizations like the National Rifle Association and Alan Gottlieb of the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation, filed a lawsuit against  Wyman, who certified I-1639. This groups said the petition violated state law because they did not include text formatting such as underlines and strike-throughs to demonstrate how the initiative would change existing gun laws.

Previously, voters in the state of Washington approved ballot measures in 2014 and 2016 that expanded gun control laws. Legislators, however, have been more unwilling to pass most gun control laws.

(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent)

Roads are now open in the area…

The Boyds Fire near Kettle Falls is now 27 percent contained as more people are being allowed into their homes near the fire but the situation still remains touch and go.

According to firefighting agencies, the Boyds Fire has burned 3,065 acres and is still threatening many residences. It has already burnt four structures including some homes.  More

(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent)

Containment on the Boyds Fire near Kettle Falls has grown to 18 percent as firefighters continue to battle the blaze that began on Saturday near Bisbee Mountain. The fire has pushed hundreds from their homes because of evacuations and destroyed four homes.

In the latest update, firefighting agencies said the fire has grown to 3,065 acres.

Helicopters are working along the northwest perimeter making water drops to cool the area where firefighters continue to work. Heavy smoke have prevented retardant drops in the area.

Firefighters have been tying in containment lines around the Nancy Creek area  and working around structures to make sure residents can return.

Residents near Barney’s Junction were allowed to return to a Level 2 Evacuation level (be ready) and power has been restored in that vacinity. In all, homes along these roads are now in a Level 2 Evacuation level:  Nancy Creek Road, Kifer Road, Lake Side Mobile Home Park, Columbia Drive and Arrow Court.

There is still potential for flare-ups in some areas in the southern perimeter. Highway 20 also remains closed but Highway 395 across the bridge is open for traffic.

Evacuation levels in the area of Kamloops Island south to the Sherman Homes, Mellenberg and Bisbee Mountains remain at level three, while the areas between Kamloops Island to Boulder Creek Road are now level two.

The is a shelter for those evacuated at Kettle Falls High School.