Who Recalls the Worst Wildfire in Washington State History?

Who Recalls the Worst Wildfire in Washington State History?

Some devastating wildfires are raging through Washington State and even one near my beloved childhood home at Boggan's Oasis has already burned over 12,000 acres.

How Many Acres Did The Cold Springs/Pearl Hill Fire Burn In 2020?

The Cougar Creek Fire in Asotin County is still burning and only 20% contained at the writing of this article.

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It got me thinking, about what wildfire in Washington State history burned the most acres and I was surprised that the wildfire was a lot more recent than you might think.

You might recall in September 2020, several wildfires broke out across the state of Washington on Labor Day weekend. Fueled by dry conditions and high winds, these fires quickly spread across thousands of acres of land.

The largest of the fires that ravaged Washington during Labor Day weekend was the Cold Springs Fire in Okanogan County.

This fire started on September 7th and burned over 223,000 acres of land before it was contained. The towns of Malden and Pine City were pretty much destroyed by the Cold Springs fire. 80% destruction to both towns.

The Pearl Hill fire in Douglas County was another significant wildfire that erupted during Labor Day weekend.

The Cold Springs Fire jumped 900 feet over the Columbia River to start the Pearl Hill Fire This fire burned over 223,000 acres and destroyed numerous structures in its path.

The combination of dry vegetation and gusty winds created ideal conditions for the rapid spread of these fires.

In total, 410,000 acres were burned making the Cold Springs Fire and Pearl Hill Fire making it one of the most devasting wildfires in Washington State history.

Shout out to our amazing firefighters and I'm still crossing my fingers that they get the Cougar Creek Fire under control soon.