The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

As The Times was going to press on Tuesday, many of our local firefighters and emergency responders were busy helping out at the Blue Creek Fire, east of Walla Walla.

That fire was called in shortly after noon Monday, and by Tuesday afternoon, it was reported by the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center to cover 5,000 acres.

Teams have been called in from around the northwest to help fight that blaze, including multiple aircraft. One home and several outbuildings had been destroyed as of Tuesday.

Residents of the Klicker Mountain and Blue Creek Road areas were evacuated on Monday, and...