Ferry County declared an emergency to the state at 8:40 p.m. Thursday, July 10, and Gov. Christine Gregoire announced a state of emergency in the county at 9:45 p.m.
     Ferry County Sheriff's Office lost contact with the east side of the county when mountain repeaters went down, according to undersheriff Greg Palmier.
     It was assumed that they went down because of high winds Thursday afternoon, he said.
     Palmier said at about 10:15 p.m. the sheriff’s office was relying on cell phone updates every half hour to keep up with events on the east side.
     He said fire was burning on both sides of Highway 395 from milepost 250 to Barstow - a distance of about three miles.
     Palmier said it was unclear exactly how many homes were threatened or if any structures had been lost, but that the Red Cross was setting up a shelter at Kettle Falls High School. He also was uncertain how many people had been evacuated.
     The Washington State Patrol reported Highway 395 closed at milepost 264 in Ferry County at 5:15 p.m. because there were downed power lines across the road, several downed trees and several fires.
     Gregoire announced the state of emergency from Spokane Valley, where she was observing a fire in the Dishman Hills area.
     Initial reports of downed powerlines were at the intersection of Highway 395 and Rock Cut Road, according to the Washington State Patrol.