Fire south of Wallula Junction surpasses 8K acres during regional red flag warning

The fire burning 5 miles south of Wallula Junction in western Walla Walla County grew to 8,262 acres on Monday, June 15, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center.

The Twin Sisters Fire, named for the nearby rock formation of the same name, was burning in grass and brush, driven by wind and uphill runs, according to NWCC.

The fire continued to threaten community residences, powerlines and rail lines.

Level 3, "go now," evacuations were in place in the vicinity of Hatch Grade Road, according to Walla Walla County Emergency Management. Evacuation levels for U.S. 730 from Port Kelley to the Oregon stateline were reduced to Level 1, "be ready," in the evening on Sunday, June 14.

As of Sunday, Columbia School District in Burbank was serving as a staging area and temporary base for fire crews working the fire, led by a Type 3 Incident Management Team.

The State Fire Marshal's Office reported that the fire started Saturday, June 13, at approximately 11 p.m. State resources were mobilized at 12:45 a.m. Sunday. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

The blaze now stretches south beyond the Washington-Oregon stateline, and resources are working to contain the fire from the Oregon side, as well, the Southeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team reported.

U.S. 730 reopened to traffic in both directions Sunday, but responders have asked the public to stay clear of the area.

A red flag warning was in effect for much of central and eastern Washington and northeast Oregon Monday morning through Tuesday evening, June 16, for high winds and low relative humidity, according to the U.S. National Weather Service Station in Pendleton.

The alert warned that rapid fire spread was likely with any new or ongoing fires.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.