Wildfires burning across the Inland Northwest forced hundreds of people to leave their homes Friday.
Advertisement
And numerous lightning fires are burning in Okanogan County, some in the Methow Valley and two others near Tonasket. The National Weather Service reported more than 650 lightning strikes across Western Washington accompanied by hail, heavy rain and subsequent flood advisories.
Department of Natural Resources spokeswoman Janet Pierce says most of the state is under a red-flag warning, meaning the temperatures are high and the landscape is crispy dry.
Firefighters are doing structure protection in the area of Chelan Butte Road because of several lightning caused fires burning in the area. The Lawyer Complex fire grew to 12,000 acres today, fanned by strong winds.
A lighting storm that that passed through the area ignited several fires, including four in the Chelan Butte area, west of Chelan, that’s led to evacuations going out. Four fires are burning in the Chelan Butte space, west of Chelan. Meanwhile, a small plane crash in a rugged area of northern Washington state has killed one person aboard and ignited another wildfire that forced some residents to flee their homes.
The Reach Fire started as five small lightning fires that grew together.
A fire on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in rural central Oregon exploded to more than 50 square miles Friday, forcing evacuations of a rural subdivision and a resort that had 400 guests booked Thursday night. The 4.7-square-mile fire spread to the Canadian border and was expected to keep growing, authorities said. Dave Helvey with the Chelan County Sheriff’s office says as of noon there were no reports at this time of structures damaged or in imminent danger.
Advertisement
A temporary trail closure is in effect for firefighter and public safety in the Icicle Ridge area.
