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Inslee declares emergency in 20 counties due to wildfires

The human-caused blaze reported Sunday has taken off in the last several days due to dry conditions and winds up to 40 miles per hour.

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About 2,000 firefighters are assigned to the blaze.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee was in Spokane Tuesday to meet with officials battling two wildfires north and south of the city.

As of Tuesday, the so-called Hart Fire had been 10 percent contained while officials were hopeful that a pair of fires, dubbed the Spokane Complex, could be contained within their existing footprints.

In his emergency proclamation, Inslee noted hot and windy weather conditions were forecast for the next seven days.

The proclamation covers Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Yakima, Walla Walla and Whitman counties.

Authorities say a blaze in eastern Washington state, one of several in the region, has destroyed at least six homes.

Wildfires in the Spokane area have burned more than a dozen homes and forced evacuations.

Fire spokeswoman Diley Greiser said early Monday that residents of at least 50 mostly rural homes near Lake Nacimiento were ordered to leave late Sunday. It wasn’t immediately clear how many homes were lost.

A wildfire burning south of Toppenish has grown to almost 11 square miles but is 50 percent contained and weather conditions were aiding firefighters.

The fires started Sunday afternoon amid high winds and temperatures in the 90s.

All the park’s main tourist facilities and roads are open Monday, but the fire was creeping toward a key road linking the West Entrance with the park’s interior. More than 4,000 vehicles a day, on average, pass through the south Entrance this time of year.

Crews have fully surrounded a massive Southern California wildfire that burned for a week and destroyed 105 homes and 216 outbuildings. Cause of that fire is under investigation. It was less than one square mile, but was threatening homes and power lines.

Meanwhile, a 58-square-mile fire that destroyed 105 homes in Southern California is nearly entirely contained and all evacuation orders have been lifted.

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The Chimney Fire, which has burned 15,000ha in California’s San Luis Obispo wine region, was raging just 3km east of the iconic Hearst Castle mansion, which remains shuttered, the Los Angeles Times said.

Spokane Complex Fire