Several major wildfires in the Northwest have destroyed homes, forced residents to flee and threatened many more homes as they continued to rage across Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
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A total of 32 firefighters and three wildfire trucks, known as Type 4 engines – designed to pump water in remote fire areas – are driving to Oregon, Idaho, and Montana as part of a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Forest Service.
The fires are being fuelled by drought conditions and strong winds, which is posing problems for firefighters trying to contain the flames. The Antoine Fire started near Washington Butte nine miles north of Chelan, impacting many ranches in that area.
In California, the Associated Press reports that though ablaze threatening Southern California homes was contained, a second blaze remained out of control after burning down cabins and a wide plot of forest land near Los Angeles.
More than 750 people were assigned to fight several fires that together have charred more than 50 square miles in the area near Kamiah.
Cal Fire says containment of the Jerusalem Fire has reached 78 percent, and all remaining evacuations have been lifted as of 2 p.m. Acreage burned has edged upward, to 25,146.
The fires burned down utility poles, leaving 9,000 homes without power, officials said. It’s one of dozens of businesses and homes destroyed in the Reach Complex fires.
Some areas in the San Fernando Valley checked in even higher at 107 degrees, said meteorologist Joe Sirard. Evacuation orders up to 1,500 are reportedly already in place.
The fire began as five separate blazes on Friday after a series of lightning strikes.
Jim Walker of the Oregon State Fire Marshals Office said they have structural responsibility.
Approximately 300 firefighters are on the scene at the Canyon Creek fire.
By early Monday, it had burned about 23,000 acres and was 65 percent contained.
The state’s biggest fire had burned almost 21 square miles in Glacier National Park.
A firefighter holds a hose while watching a fire burning along Morgan Valley Road near Lower Lake, Calif., Thursday, August 13, 2015.
Cheryl Lee Wissler of Adams Grade died Friday from a head injury she suffered when she fell, authorities said. It was 82 percent contained by Sunday.
So many wildfires have ignited across the Northern Rockies this month that fire officials are allowing some that might have been snuffed out under normal circumstances to burn.
Fire crews planned to use Saturday to fly into the areas near Cutbank Pass and Nyack Creek drainage to work on suppressing fire hot spots and reinforcing structure protection measures. More firefighters will be arriving Monday to help in that fight.
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Courtesy of Joe Smilie, Washington Dept. of Natural ResourcesA Washington National Guard Blackhawk helicopter waits out heavy winds August. 14 at the Cougar Creek fire camp outside Glenwood, Wash.
