On June 22, 2015, a National Park Service employee reported a grass fire along the road leading to the Kettle River Campground in Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. Weather and wind conditions at the time caused the initially small fire to grow quickly. However, the rapid response of local, state, and federal wildland firefighting crews stopped the fire from spreading. As a precaution the campground was evacuated and the entrance closed near the intersection of Highway 395.
The incident commander for the firefighting efforts reported that the fire was contained and controlled on June 23, 2015. However, crews will continue to monitor the area. In the meantime, under the authority granted to the superintendent under 36 Code of Federal Regulations § 1.5 (a)(1), the Kettle River Campground will be closed to all entry except approved emergency personnel.
A determination has been made that this was a human caused fire.Investigation of the fire is continuing with NPS rangers working closely with a federal fire investigator.
In an effort to reduce the threat of wildfires from escaped outdoor burning, Lake Roosevelt National Recreation instituted a park wide fire closure on June 17, 2015 to all fires except those in park provided fire grates.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
