Monastery fire about 20 percent contained

GOLDENDALE, Wash. -- The number of firefighters assigned to the Monastery Fire, the No. 1 firefighting priority in a three-state-region, will nearly double through the weekend as crews work to get the upper hand on a blaze that has surged across 4,250 acres and consumed more than five dozen structures outside of Goldendale.

Some 300 firefighters will join 400 already on the ground, the incident commander told about 300 residents who crowded the bleachers Friday at Goldendale High School to hear an update from the multi-agency team that is handling the fire attack.

"There's a lot of iron, and a lot of people, coming to bear to help us deal with this problem," incident commander Dave LaFave said.

Among the first to arrive were about 25 firefighters from local fire districts in Yakima and Kittitas counties. Yakama Nation crews are also on hand and a Selah tender crew rolled in Friday evening to set up camp and prepare for a day shift.

The fire started Wednesday afternoon about three miles west of Satus Pass and ran to the southeast, burning an estimated 64 houses and other structures with at least nine homes being destroyed. Containment has started on the upper end and was estimated at 20 percent on Friday, the first day that firefighters had released a containment percentage.

LaFave told residents that the firefighters' work has just begun. The priority from the start has been to protect structures and avoid danger to people in the area through evacuations. As more crews arrive and fire managers get a better sense of fire activity, they will emphasize hemming in the fire. That work has already started with the reinforcement of fire lines that are using Goodman Road, on the fire's south end, as their foundation, LaFave said.

Firefighters have said that the terrain is not unusually difficult, but draws and pockets have prompted the fire to act in ways that might not be seen in other areas, LaFave said.

"This fire is continuing to run all over and continuing to make its way all around using the terrain," he said.

For the most part, major fire activity has stayed within the current footprint, an incident spokesman said. Reduced winds Friday helped crews make progress. GPS mapping confirmed the fire's size at 4,250 acres, down from earlier estimates of 5,300 acres.

An estimated 200 homes have been evacuated. Officials say it's unclear how many people are affected, but about 20 have been staying at a shelter set up at the Klickitat County fairgrounds in Goldendale. About 75 people, including some staying in campers or other vehicles, are eating at the shelter.

Red Cross volunteers said at least two dozen Goldendale residents have stepped up to volunteer at the shelter, along with eight Red Cross volunteers from the agency's Vancouver chapter.

LaFave faced some criticism about fire resource management at the meeting from a man who said he had lost his home in the fire, but other evacuated residents said they were trying to stay upbeat in spite of the difficult circumstances.

"We're doing OK. We still have our place -- so far. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen," said Bette Forgey outside the evacuation center. She and her husband, Jack, live below the fire toward Goldendale.

Besides the evacuated residents, other local residents and those passing through are also being affected by the fire.

To give firefighters room to work, commanders closed U.S. Highway 97 for a few hours Friday afternoon. The 3,107-foot mountain pass has been open off and on since the fire started Wednesday afternoon near Brooks Memorial State Park.

North of Satus Pass, parked cars stretched for about a mile behind the closure. Many drivers turned around and headed toward Toppenish. Others pitched lawn chairs in shady sections of the asphalt to wait it out.

John Raymond, a Selah trucker hauling a shipment of blueberries to Salem, Ore., decided to wait. He estimated finding an alternative route would add four hours to his trip.

The fire has hurt business at the Roadhouse 97 restaurant and bar.

"We didn't have any customers this morning," said owner Carol Hunt.

The midday road closure's southern terminus was right outside Goldendale, about two miles south of the establishment frequented by hungry travelers during the day and thirsty locals at night.

Hunt canceled Friday night's weekly karaoke session at the bar for fear her customers would not be able to reach her.

"I've been here eight years and we've never had anything like this," she said.

Farther south, the on again, off again traffic meant a small increase in business for the Marie's Sod Busters restaurant, located in Goldendale along Highway 97.

"We've been pretty busy," said waitress Hannah Kallio. "A little bit more than average."

Only a few firefighters had visited the eatery, however, because the American Legion and volunteers from local churches had been providing meals at the command center at the Klickitat County Fairgrounds.

Kallio said smoke was the most noticeable indicator of the fire in Goldendale.

"Oh, it's really smoky," she said. "This morning was very, very smoky in town."

Others agreed.

Jim Beierle, a road crew worker with the state Department of Transportation, could hardly see 250 feet in front of him Friday morning in Goldendale due to smoke trapped in an inversion layer, he said, as he manned the northern roadblock near the summit.