It's been burning for nearly a week, and we learned today that the fire on Bateman Island is racking up a hefty bill.
We can't give you an exact number, but Richland Fire Chief Tom Huntington estimates fighting this fire has cost close to $100,000. But unlike most wildfires that are funded by state or federal agencies, because Bateman Island is part of Richland city property, the bill for this fire is falling on the city's lap.
From the road, it's hard to tell anything is amiss on Bateman Island. But travel just a couple hundred yards in, and it's a very different story. In fact, Chief Huntington says it's one of the most difficult fires he's ever faced.
"We're not really equipped for these long duration fires, where we have trees involved and bigger fuels," Chief Huntington said. "So it's been really challenging for us to staff this week because we just don't have the depth regionally for this kind of fuel model."