Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Yakima River Delta Fire topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fire on Yakima River Delta contained; Army Corps clears hazard trees and bike path reopens
Summary
Richland officials said a brush fire that ignited on the Yakima River Delta was contained and that hazard trees along the SR-240 riverfront bike path on Army Corps land were cut and inspected; the path reopened after barricades were removed the afternoon of March 27.
A brush fire on the Yakima River Delta that started Sunday was contained by fire crews, and the city said hazard trees along the SR-240 riverfront bike path were cut by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and inspected before reopening to the public on March 27.
Chris Waite, Richland—s director of Parks and Public Facilities, told the Parks and Recreation Commission the fire ignited in a natural area and that firefighters and partner agencies mounted an extensive response. Waite said the location burned on Army Corps property and that the Corps performed cutting of trees near the bike path "out of an abundance of caution."
"After both of those inspections coming back clear, we were able to take down the barricades at about 3:30 this afternoon," Waite said, adding that fire department personnel had stationed vehicles on the path during closure to keep the public safe.
Waite said crews inspected the path and removed trees that posed hazards because of fire damage or instability. He warned that, given the site—s vegetation and weather variables, officials would continue to monitor the area for potential re-ignition despite recent rainfall.
The city also plans regular park visits through August as part of a parks master-plan process; Waite said those visits will include grouped neighborhood-park site tours and pop-up play events.
The SR-240 riverfront bike path had been closed while crews completed inspections and hazard-tree removal on Army Corps land; the city—s notice to the commission said the reopening followed inspections by both city staff and the Army Corps.
