A fire burning along Columbia River Road about nine miles west of Nespelem has consumed nearly 19,000 acres and is 1 percent contained as of late Aug. 8.
     The fire began around 3 p.m. Aug. 7 and is burning in timber, grass and brush in steep terrain on the Colville Indian Reservation, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center.
     Management of the fire has been turned over to a type 2 management team.
     As of Friday afternoon, the fire had burned 18,723 acres.
     Torching and isolated crowning were observed as the fire made major runs throughout the afternoon, according to the center's Web report.
     Level 1 (lowest) evacuation notices were issued to residents of the Kartar Valley. About 20 homes and several dozen more outbuildings are threatened, according to fire officials.
     Cooperating agencies include Fire District No. 8, Colville Confederated Tribes, state Department of Natural Resources. and Coulee Dam and Elmer City fire departments.
     As of Aug. 8, 307 people and 19 engines were assigned to the fire fight.
     Cause of the blaze is under investigation.
     "Crews worked to hold fire at the Dan Nason Road," according to InciWeb, a multi-agency fire information Web site.
     Firefighters plan to continue protecting structures, hold control lines, burn out unburned areas, build fire lines and mop up.
     The fire has high growth potential, InciWeb reported.
     Red flag warnings are in place for lightning and winds, according to InciWeb.
     "Fire is burning near structures on west edge of the fire. There is a concern that if winds develop, it will be impossible to hold fire within the control lines," according to firefighters.
     The fire's size "increased quickly in size, burning nearly 11 miles north from its origin along the (Columbia River Road) that runs adjacent to the Columbia River toward south the Kartar community" near Omak Lake, InciWeb reported.
     Some spotting ahead of the fire also was observed, according to firefighters.