Hilary Franz
CHENEY — Fire officials are expecting gubernatorial candidate and State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz to visit the fire-ravaged areas in Medical Lake and Cheney on Sunday.
At last estimate, the Gray Fire was between 8,000 and 9,500 acres in size - and growing. At least 185 homes, were destroyed Friday, and more succumbed to the flames Saturday.
As the state Department of Natural Resources prepares to turn over management of the growing fire to a Type II Incident Management Team, they are also preparing for Franz, the head of the agency and a Democrat running for governor, to visit.
Details on her expected visit have yet to be released, officials at fire camp said earlier today. The Gray Fire management command post and firefighter encampment is set up at Cheney Middle School, 740 W. Betz Road.
Franz, of Bainbridge Island, was elected to the statewide post in November 2016 after former state Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark of Okanogan decided not to run again.
Prior to her election, Franz was a Bainbridge Island City Council member and an attorney and executive director for the environmental activist group, Futurewise.
As the executive director of Futurewise, Franz was responsible for the lawsuit that resulted in the Hirst decision by the state Supreme Court, which essentially made it much for difficult for rural landowners to drill to access potable water for their country homes.
A social media hashtag, #grayfire, has been set up for those who access information via social media.
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