County assessors revisit properties damaged by wildfires

OKANOGAN – The second half of 2020 property tax statements went into the mail last week and among them were assessed adjustments for property owners who lost structures and sustained damages from the Cold Springs and Pearl Hill wildfires last month.

Okanogan County Assessor Larry Gilman advised those who attended the second meeting of Cold springs wildfire victims on Oct. 6, that his office completed its revaluation of affected parcels.

“We did finish our fire assessment for all the assessed lands,” said Gilman, “and we’re processing with the treasurers’ office right now and they should have it all done within the next couple of days.”

Cold Springs Fire

Figures from the Assessor’s office show that aside from non-taxable tribal or trust lands, the losses to county coffers from the near-190,000-acre Cold Spring wildfire totaled $5,310,000 comprised of:

Structure Improvements: $2,010,100

● 27 single family homes - $1,583,500.

● 14 cabins - $177,000.

● 19 outbuildings - $133,300.

● 9 garages/shops - $116,300.

Non-structure Improvements: $3,300,000

Lost home values ranged from a low of $2,400 to $166,700 for an average value of $58,648.

At last count Colville Tribal officials counted 22 member homes lost.

Pearl Hill Fire

The Pearl Hill fire that was ignited when embers from the Cold Springs fire jumped the Columbia River near Bridgeport consumed more than 220,000 acres and destroyed or damaged structures from Bridgeport to Waterville and Mansfield to Coulee City.

Figured released by Douglas County Assessor’s Office put fire losses at $3.8 million.

Bridgeport was hardest hit with 58 properties suffering loss or damage including 23 single family or manufactured homes and a cabin. Mansfield sustained damage to 18 parcels among them three single family residences and one business, the Darby Hotel. Waterville lost one single family residence, a manufactured home, and a restaurant on Jamison Lake. Coulee City lost one single family residence..

Outbuilding damage ran the gamut from hay sheds and machine shops to barns, Quonset buildings and a pumphouse. The oldest structure, a single family residence with detached garage/carport valued at $117,800 was among the 23 single family residences burned in Bridgeport.