SPOKANE, Wash. — Palisades Christian Academy was among the buildings threatened by the Cemetery Fire that broke out on Friday, July 26.
Fire crews from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources began working to contain the fire on Friday afternoon and continue to fight the flames into Saturday, July 27.
The fire is near Palisade Park, a place that threatens over 500 homes, and managed to creep into the backyard of a local Christian academy.
"The school year is starting off not with a bang, but with a flame," said Jessica Lower, the principal at Palisades Christian Academy. "We tried to get the sprinklers going, but we weren't able to get the system up and running manually. But soon after that, the first firetruck came onto the property."
The Upper Cemetery Fire, previously called the Hill Fire, has burned an estimated 90 acres.
Aircraft began dropping retardant on the fire on Friday and crews are working to douse the flames with water in the school's backyard.
"We're supposed to be starting school a month from now, and hoping that wasn't going to be a problem, concerned about our students because we have a close-knit school family," said Lower.
Forward progress of the fire stopped on Friday night around 10 p.m., and crews are working to construct a containment line in hopes that schools and other buildings stay safe.
"I got messages from all over the country that people and sister schools in other communities were praying for our school, praying for the firefighters and for the surrounding area," said Lower.
As crews continue to work on the fire, debris may emit large smoke columns. DNR reminds residents that those columns do not indicate that the fire is spreading.