![State suing eastern Washington property owners for sparking wildfire that destroyed thousands of acres | News [Video]](https://canadanewsvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/mp_769664_0_64c6a16e79e9bimagejpg.jpg)
OROVILLE, Wash – The State of Washington says property owners in Oroville did not heed warnings in the summer of 2023 and caused a wildfire that burned more than 34,000 acres in Washington and British Columbia.
The Eagle Bluff Fire started on July 29, 2023. By the time it was out, it had charred 16,483 acres in Washington and just over 17,000 acres in Canada.
According to a lawsuit filed this month in federal court, the fire started on property belonging to Mark Whigham and Renee Shepley-Ragan.
PAST COVERAGE: People asked to evacuate for wildfire burning in Okanogan County
The lawsuit describes conditions that day as concerning enough that the National Weather Service declared a red flag warning. A burn ban was also in effect for Okanogan County at the time.
In addition, the area was under a Level 2 Industrial Fire Precaution Level. which prohibits the cutting of metal …
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