What is the name and location of the wildfire?

There are several Benton County wildfires burning in southeast Washington state on June 14, 2023. There are also wildfires burning just over the Columbia River in nearby Umatilla County, Oregon. The Meals Road fire is burning south of Finley, Washington and another fire – the Yakitat fire - is burning along McBee Grade south of Interstate 82 near Benton City (1)(2).

Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire?

Cities near the wildfires include Finley and Benton City. Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, Prosser, and Sunnyside, Washington and Hermiston and Pendleton, Oregon may all be impacted by wildfire smoke.

What is the current containment status of the wildfire?

As of June 14, the fires have yet to be fully contained. Additional fire crews have been dispatched to assist with containment efforts. Though the fires are still active, they are no longer posing immediate evacuation risks.

Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?

As of 10:30 AM June 14, all evacuation orders have officially been lifted for Benton County and residents have been cleared to return to their homes.

How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?

Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.

• Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
• Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
• Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
• Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
• Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.