9:10 a.m. PDT July 5, 2021
The Batterman Fire spread rapidly Sunday after it started at about 12:15 p.m. PDT running through grass and brush. The fire is east of Wenatchee, Washington about a mile east of the Pangborn Memorial Airport. It was pushed to the east by a wind that increased throughout the afternoon from the west and northwest at 15 to 22 mph after 5 p.m. while the relative humidity was in the teens and the temperature topped out at 97 degrees.
Monday morning evacuation orders (Level 3) were in effect for Rock Island Grade Road.
On Sunday helicopters and airtankers dropped water and retardant in areas inaccessible to engines. As of Monday at 8 a.m. no structures had been destroyed.
The Southeast Washington Type 3 Interagency Incident Management Team led by Incident Commander Walter Escobar assumed command of the incident Sunday night. Firefighters worked through the night on structure protection and to secure the perimeter near Rock Island Road.
On Monday more firefighting resources from out of the area are expected to arrive.
The forecast for Monday is for 93 degrees, winds out of the northwest at 8 to 16 mph, with 21 percent relative humidity.
