Smoke concentrations will vary widely as winds, fire behaviour and temperatures change.
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A 33-unit sustained action crew was sent to Washington Saturday night, and three officers and two pieces of heavy equipment with operators were sent Sunday morning, to help contain the northern flanks of the fire.
Heavy smoke from large Washington fires to the south had reduced visibility and was expected to “hamper air support efforts over the fire”, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.
The fire haze could be seen throughout Greater Victoria on Sunday but so far, no air quality alerts have been issued for the B.C. Capital.
Containment does not mean the fire has stopped burning.
Heaps of twisted and charred metal litter his land where the fire burned through.
Gentler winds allowed firefighters to make significant progress Sunday in battling the numerous wildfires across Washington.
Fire spokeswoman Suzanne Flory says there could be some explosive fire growth Sunday if a cap of smoke lifts from Okanogan County, as has been forecast.
He added that all the smoke in the region is hampering the firefighters’ response, as they are not able to use air resources.
A Level 2 evacuation notice was in effect for the city of Republic and surrounding communities.
Sarah Miller, a spokeswoman with Okanogan County Emergency Management, told the AP that residents have been warned to be ready to evacuate at any time. He stayed in place as the fire raced over a ridge and barreled down toward his house, flames lapping just feet from his back porch.
“I’m alive”, he said. “I shouldn’t be, but I am and that’s what matters”.
Mr. Surgeon estimates he lost more than $100,000 in property in fire, but he is happy for being alive.
“But I have my life and I have my home”, he said.
The largest set of blazes in Washington is the Okanogan Complex fire, which killed three firefighters and injured four others last week near the town of Twisp, about 150 miles northeast of Seattle. An injured firefighter remains in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
Three others – Tom Zbyszewski, Andrew Zajac and Rick Wheeler – died as the flames suddenly changned direction and overtook their U.S. Forest Service vehicle, a small wildland fire engine, which had gone off a road on a curve.
There are now about 700 members of the Washington National Guard working alongside thousands of firefighters, an increase from last week, officials said.
With the smoke now affecting the most populated areas of the state, health officials are warning people to take precautions. “People are encouraged to remain indoors to avoid breathing smoky air, which can cause coughing, chest pain and shortness of breath in healthy people”, the announcement said. The base will be the staging area for 20 large fire engines and 10 water takers and will be run by a team from San Diego, California.
Officials said a new mobilization center was being formed at Fairchild Air Force Base outside Spokane to assist with the efforts in eastern Washington after President Barack Obama’s declaration Friday of a federal emergency.
More than 200 homes have been destroyed and more than 12,000 homes and thousands of other structures are still threatened, officials said.
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While the Okanogan Complex fire reaches near the size of the Carlton Complex fire that occurred past year , County Sheriff Frank Rogers of Okanoga said it is still too early at this point to release an official total number of homes that have been burned.
