Southeast Washington is under siege from multiple wildfires this week, with the Juniper Dunes Fire northeast of Pasco and the Snake River Fire near Wallula both forcing evacuations and threatening rural properties as the state's fire season arrives well ahead of its historical pace.

Juniper Dunes Fire

The Juniper Dunes Fire ignited Saturday, June 13, near Kruse Road in Franklin County, approximately 10 miles northeast of Pasco. The fire spread rapidly through dry grass and sagebrush over the weekend, reaching into the federally designated Juniper Dunes Wilderness area — a sensitive landscape home to the largest remaining stands of native western juniper in Washington State.

By Monday, June 16, the fire had grown to over 10,000 acres with containment at 20 percent. The Southeast Washington Inter-Agency Incident Management Team arrived to assist local resources on Sunday. A Level 2 evacuation advisory was issued for rural properties along the PK Highway corridor between Murphy Road and Snake River Road, extending through Blackman Ridge Road and the surrounding area.

Large smoke plumes from the Juniper Dunes Fire were visible from the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, more than 10 miles away. Residents in the Tri-Cities area reported significant smoke impacts.

Snake River Fire

The Snake River Fire, burning five miles south of Wallula in southeastern Washington, has reached 693 acres and has been active since earlier in the week. The fire is burning in grass and brush terrain along the Snake River corridor and has shown active fire behavior with wind-driven and uphill runs, with structures and critical infrastructure reported as threatened. Area, road, and trail closures are in effect near the incident.

A Region Under Pressure

The combination of the Tule Road, Juniper Dunes, Snake River, and Upriver fires burning simultaneously represents an extraordinary early-season strain on Pacific Northwest firefighting resources. Mutual aid agreements between local, state, tribal, and federal agencies have been activated to manage the workload.

The Northwest Coordination Center has elevated its readiness posture as personnel and equipment are stretched across multiple large incidents. Residents across southeastern Washington are urged to have evacuation plans ready and monitor local emergency management channels closely.

  • Juniper Dunes Fire: ~10,000+ acres, 20% contained, Franklin County
  • Snake River Fire: 693 acres, active, near Wallula
  • Tule Road Fire: 23,959 acres, 15% contained, Yakama Nation
  • Upriver Fire: 217 acres, Spokane Valley