State helping fight fire threatening WA homes, sewer plant

GRANDVIEW, Wash. (AP) — A fire threatening homes, infrastructure and the a sewer plant in central Washington has prompted a state response, including aircraft.

Interim State Fire Marshal Chad Cross said Thursday that the Canyon Road Fire near the small city of Grandview is burning in grass, brush and small trees after igniting on Wednesday afternoon.

The blaze prompted evacuations and was threatening the Grandview Wastewater Treatment Plant, Cross said.

Yakima County Fire District 5 said on social media that as of 5:30 p.m. Thursday that the fire remained active, had burned 3.1 square miles and was 90% contained.

Air resources were still working on areas unreachable by vehicle, and other crews were working on containing the fire along their dozer line, firefighters said.

People living in the areas of Byron Hill Road and the State Route 22 area in Grandview had been told to get set to leave.

Grandview has a population of about 11,000 people and is located about 38 miles (61 kilometers) southeast of Yakima.