CHENEY, Wash. — A family farm in Cheney is having a sale on Sunday to help rebuild their farm after parts of it were seriously impacted by the Williams Lake Fire.
The Sullivan Family Farm is a local farm known for its herd of Simmental and Angus cows, pair of Brown Swiss oxen and wide variety of farm-fresh cut flowers. Unfortunately, the farm was caught in the middle of a large wildfire that broke out on Wednesday.
The Williams Lake Fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon and has since burned more than 1,600 acres. Since it started, the fire has destroyed three structures and a fire engine. 40 homes in the region are under Level 3 evacuations due to the flames.
The fire quickly spread to the Sullivan Family Farm. Hay, timber and plant life have been lost in the fire, but firefighters were able to save the house and barn, according to the family.
During the fire, the family said they lost sight of their beloved ox, Sprite, between Aug. 3-4. Fortunately, Sprite was found on Thursday morning, but the family quickly realized something was wrong.
Sprite was laying down too much, according to the family. Because of this, he was moved into the family barn to rest. A fireman later told the family Sprite hurt his feet in the hot ashes as he was trying to make his way back to the barn during the fire.
Veterinarians are unable to get to the family farm due to the current evacuation orders. The family started giving Sprite pain and anti-inflammatory medications but said his odds of recovery are low.
The family said they are continuing to fight the fire with the help of firefighters and neighbors.
To aid in the recovery of their farm, the family is having a sale at The Bohemian in Spokane Valley on Saturday, Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. They are selling treats, candles, greeting cards, t-shirts, meat and other goods.
"Any purchases would be such a blessing to our family as we start to rebuild," the family said in a Facebook post. "We’re amazed by our community and so thankful to be surrounded by such wonderful neighbors and friends."
To learn more about Sullivan Family Farms, click here.
DOWNLOAD THE KREM SMARTPHONE APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE KREM+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KREM in the Channel Store.
Fire TV: search for "KREM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email webspokane@krem.com.