Kartar Fire Near Omak Swells To 7,500 Acres, Hundreds Evacuated

A pair of wildfires burning in Okanogan County have now merged to form a larger conflagration near Omak Lake.

Authorities say the Kartar Fire and the Omak Lake Fire have combined about 12 miles southeast of Omak, where they’ve now torched approximately 7,500 acres of dry grass, sagebrush, and sparse pines.

Level 3 evacuation notices remain in place for homes on Kartar Valley Road, as well as along Omak Lake and Columbia River Roads.

The fire (now known as the Kartar Fire) has also prompted the closure of Columbia River Road at its junction with State Route 155, along with Cameron Lake-Omak Lake Road and several other local roads.

Officials say both blazes sparked on Tuesday at sometime around 7 p.m. and quickly spread in gusty winds.

Firefighters with a Northeast Washington Type 3 Team are using both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft to perform water and retardant drops on the flames, as crews on the ground continue their attempts to secure a perimeter around the fire.

The blaze is currently listed at 0% containment, and to this point there have been no reports of structures being damaged or destroyed and no injuries reported.

The cause of the blaze is currently unknown and under investigation.