BATTLE GROUND, Wash. - A brush fire that threatened several homes in Clark County is now 100 percent contained, fire officials said Tuesday, though crews still have significant mop-up work ahead before the blaze is considered under control.
The Hidden Meadows Fire broke out at about 11 a.m. Monday southwest of Fargher Lake, prompting Level 3 "GO NOW" evacuation orders that sent neighbors rushing to safety, according to KATU. All of those initial evacuation orders have since been reduced, though some Level 1 "GET READY" notices remain in place near the fire lines.
A spokesperson for Clark County Fire District 10 said Tuesday afternoon that containment lines now wrap the entire perimeter of the fire. Officials cautioned that containment is not the same as control, saying heat, burning roots, stumps and other hot spots can linger inside the fire area and require extensive mop-up before crews are confident the fire no longer poses a threat.
Investigators are still working to determine what sparked the blaze.
"We greatly appreciate the patience and grace shown by our community during yesterday's evacuations and road closures," Deputy Fire Chief Galen Sarkinen of Clark County Fire District 10 said, per KATU.
Sarkinen also thanked the agencies that helped crews gain the upper hand quickly, including the Washington Department of Natural Resources, the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency, Vancouver Fire and other first responders.
"That aggressive initial response was critical," the chief said. "Had this fire gotten away from us, many homes could have been threatened or lost."