Grant County officials ordered late-night Level 3 "go now" evacuations Saturday for residents in the Ancient Lakes area outside Quincy after a wildfire ignited near the Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area. The sheriff's office warned that conditions posed an immediate threat to life and told anyone inside the mapped zone to leave right away. At the same time, county officials cautioned that the Nixle emergency-text alert system was experiencing an outage that could delay automated notices to residents.
The evacuation details came from the Grant County Sheriff's Office and were reported by NonStop Local, which published an evacuation map supplied by the sheriff's office. "You are advised to evacuate immediately," the sheriff's statement said, adding that "current conditions present a specific and immediate threat to the life and safety of persons within this area."
The sheriff's office also said the county's mass-notification provider, Nixle, had experienced an outage and that Everbridge, which operates Nixle, was "actively working to resolve the issue as soon as possible," according to NonStop Local. Grant County has relied on Nixle for mass alerts since 2012, and residents can sign up or confirm their subscription via the county's emergency notifications page. Grant County and Everbridge outline how the system delivers text, email and app alerts when it is functioning properly.
What Level 3 Means And What To Do
Level 3 is the highest wildfire evacuation level, typically described as "Go Now," and is used when an immediate threat to life or property exists. Local emergency teams in central Washington rely on a three-tier system to tell residents when to be ready, set or leave, and officials say anyone under a Level 3 order should evacuate without delay. KHQ has previously reported on Level 3 orders in Grant County and the surrounding region.
Where The Fire Is Burning
Officials say the fire started near the Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area, and the current evacuation map centers on the Ancient Lakes recreational zone north of Quincy. The Quincy Lakes area is managed by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife and includes camping and water-access points that attract visitors in the summer months. WDFW notes that Quincy Lake lies within the Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area unit and allows year-round access.
Where To Get Updates
Because of the reported Nixle outage, the sheriff's office is urging residents to monitor official county channels and local media for the latest instructions. People in and near the evacuation zone are encouraged to use radio, the county's emergency-notifications page and the Everbridge mobile app to confirm alerts and shelter information. Grant County's emergency page and Everbridge's resident FAQ walk residents through alternate ways to receive notices and how to register for services.
At the time of publication, officials had not released additional details about the size or cause of the fire. This story will be updated as agencies provide more information.
