Central Wash. wildfire triples in size, 600 homes threatened
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SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - The Table Mountain Complex of wildfires in central Washington's Chelan and Kittitas counties has tripled in size to more than 47 square miles, fire spokeswoman Jan Ulrich said Thursday.
A combination of factors - including warm temperatures, winds, very low humidity and low moisture in the vegetation - caused the complex to grow and merge into one large fire on Wednesday, Ulrich said.
"It was very active fire behavior yesterday and we are expecting the same today,'" Ulrich said Thursday.
The Table Mountain blaze is being fought by more than 750 firefighters and was 5 percent contained by Thursday night. It has not burned any homes, but Kittitas County Sheriff Gene Dana said Thursday that 161 homes north of Ellensburg and in the Liberty area are under a Level 3 evacuation, meaning residents are urged to leave.
The Table Mountain Complex is one of several wildfires burning on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range. The largest, the Wenatchee Complex, has grown to about 65 square miles. It was 24 percent contained and was being fought by more than 2,000 firefighters.
The fires are blanketing Eastern Washington with smoke, and dry conditions have led the state to issue restrictions on logging and other industrial activities in the forests.
The Table Mountain and Wenatchee River complexes are moving closer together, fire officials have said.
Thousands of firefighters are battling dozens of wildfires that were sparked up lightning earlier this month up and down the east slopes of the Cascades. Many of the blazes are small and in remote areas, but all together the fires have covered more than 108 square miles.
Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes in the paths of the fires.
Smoke from the fires is pouring across Eastern Washington, obscuring the air 200 miles away in Spokane. State officials have warned of hazardous air quality in Ellensburg and Wenatchee from the thick smoke. They are advising residents to stay indoors, limit physical activity and keep doors and windows closed.
The smoke has already prompted some schools to relocate weekend sporting events. Central Washington University is moving its Saturday football game against Azusa Pacific from Ellensburg to the Seattle suburb of Bothell.
"Unfortunately, areas around Wenatchee remain in the worst shape," said Sean Hopkins, of the state Department of Ecology, in Yakima. "At the same time, other areas are experiencing unhealthy air anywhere smoke lingers from the hundreds of wildfires that are burning."
Air-quality monitors in Chelan County are reading in the hazardous and unhealthy ranges, the agency said. Conditions are getting worse in the Quincy area, and conditions could worsen around Spokane, Pullman and Clarkston.
The Washington state Department of Natural Resources on Thursday announced a shutdown of all logging and industrial operations in the woods to avoid accidental starting of fires. The shutdown covers portions of Douglas, Chelan, Kittitas, Yakima and Klickitat counties.
Logging is restricted to between 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. in portions of Lincoln, Spokane, Stevens, Ferry and Okanogan counties, the state said.
A combination of factors - including warm temperatures, winds, very low humidity and low moisture in the vegetation - caused the complex to grow and merge into one large fire on Wednesday, Ulrich said.
"It was very active fire behavior yesterday and we are expecting the same today,'" Ulrich said Thursday.
The Table Mountain blaze is being fought by more than 750 firefighters and was 5 percent contained by Thursday night. It has not burned any homes, but Kittitas County Sheriff Gene Dana said Thursday that 161 homes north of Ellensburg and in the Liberty area are under a Level 3 evacuation, meaning residents are urged to leave.
The Table Mountain Complex is one of several wildfires burning on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range. The largest, the Wenatchee Complex, has grown to about 65 square miles. It was 24 percent contained and was being fought by more than 2,000 firefighters.
The fires are blanketing Eastern Washington with smoke, and dry conditions have led the state to issue restrictions on logging and other industrial activities in the forests.
The Table Mountain and Wenatchee River complexes are moving closer together, fire officials have said.
Thousands of firefighters are battling dozens of wildfires that were sparked up lightning earlier this month up and down the east slopes of the Cascades. Many of the blazes are small and in remote areas, but all together the fires have covered more than 108 square miles.
Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes in the paths of the fires.
Smoke from the fires is pouring across Eastern Washington, obscuring the air 200 miles away in Spokane. State officials have warned of hazardous air quality in Ellensburg and Wenatchee from the thick smoke. They are advising residents to stay indoors, limit physical activity and keep doors and windows closed.
The smoke has already prompted some schools to relocate weekend sporting events. Central Washington University is moving its Saturday football game against Azusa Pacific from Ellensburg to the Seattle suburb of Bothell.
"Unfortunately, areas around Wenatchee remain in the worst shape," said Sean Hopkins, of the state Department of Ecology, in Yakima. "At the same time, other areas are experiencing unhealthy air anywhere smoke lingers from the hundreds of wildfires that are burning."
Air-quality monitors in Chelan County are reading in the hazardous and unhealthy ranges, the agency said. Conditions are getting worse in the Quincy area, and conditions could worsen around Spokane, Pullman and Clarkston.
The Washington state Department of Natural Resources on Thursday announced a shutdown of all logging and industrial operations in the woods to avoid accidental starting of fires. The shutdown covers portions of Douglas, Chelan, Kittitas, Yakima and Klickitat counties.
Logging is restricted to between 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. in portions of Lincoln, Spokane, Stevens, Ferry and Okanogan counties, the state said.
We just came back from Omak and all the way down it was like being in a big fog, but it was smoke and it was terrible, you can hardly breath over here, it was still bad when we got to Ellensberg yesterday afternoon.
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The entire eastern part of the state is bad, I feel so sorry for the people over there.
It's not just unhealthy KOMO 4, our air quality is HAZARDOUS.
I was born/raised in Wenatchee.....never seen anything this severe before. Friends/family are all safe....for now.
Wildfires are terrifying. Hopefully they can get it under control soon. That picture makes it look like a volcano is erupting or something.
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My heart goes out to everyone who is affected by this.
Although the sun has been quite nice, I'm looking forward to the rain returning. We're called the Evergreen State for a reason.Â
My heart just aches for the people affected by this ... what an absolute nightmare!
Fire has been Mother Nature's maid service for quite a while. That dry material out there seems to attract lightning.
@Elvis yeah, well as uncomfortable as it sounds, we need to stop trying to control nature and start letting it do its part. If we dont, then this will continue to happen and only get worse every year.
 @Elvis Only if the fire was started by nature. Â
They should stop building houses over there, thar shall always be fire, maybe they should install a underground sprinkler system through out the mountain ranges... Thats what i would do... Run a garden hose around me property with holes poked in it, pointing up, if fire comes crank that baby wide open and watch the fire run from me homestead.
@sultan1978  If I had the money, I would run a sprinkler type system along the ridgelines of my home and under the eves. However this system would cover the house with foam that sticks. I would also build panels for all my windows that are refective and insulated and hang them before activating the foam system. I would have a pool that's easily accessible to fire engines. Finally, I would clear vegitation according to guidelines. I was a wildland firefighter for 12 years and would use the best technology and common sense has to offer.
 @smokey307 What about smoke that would get you even if you had a ocean of water?
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Not very practical. Even 4 garden hoses would not be enough.
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If it were me, I'd build a big in-ground swimming pool, since it's usually warm enough over there to have one anyway. I would then build a pump house next to it with a huge gasoline powered pump, hooked up to fire hoses or underground piping and huge sprinklers already installed around the perimeter of the house. The pump would obviously pull the water from the pool.
@James127 Just make the swimming pool like a moat around the house, be sure it's wide enough to be a fire break, plus a pump & hoses to wet down the roof of the house.
That would be one HUGE pool, and an eyesore.
Thie last winter the snow pact was near if not a record. then the cool damp spring and the last month of hot dry weather = perfict fire conditions. The family jeeps in the Liberty area and it was ready to burn. Very bad!! very pritty area all a mess noe. Will take 15+ years to come back to were it was. Prayers for those that live in the areas.
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Looks like it aint a gonna rain no more no more. Drought and dust on its way
 @rainiervalley60skid And smoke! I hope the wind doesn't change.
Environazis respond with call to ban fire in 3...2...
Oh crap! I am not familiar with the East side of the mountains. Anyone have any idea how far away from Sun Lakes this is? My other half is there on a fishing trip with his buds. Not sure if I need to warn him or not?
 @Petwlkr let us know if you reach him. Hope all goes well. I know how scary it is not knowing, Take Care. I'll be thinking of you guys!
About 40 miles to the northwest.
@Petwlkr i dont think he will burn if he is on the lake, jus sayin'
 @sultan1978 They are only fishing with float tubes and of course there is the campsite to worry about. Cell reception is spotty at best. Hopefully the authorities have warned the campers that they may need to evacuate.
@Petwlkr Chelan & Kittitas Counties are more on the eastern slopes of the mountains whereas Sun Lakes is more in the central part of Eastern Washington, but my guess is there's probably not more than a couple hundred miles between them.
I was talking to my wife about getting some rain. She is from CA and hates rain, but now is wishing for some. So am I these wildfires are really devastating.
I was up in that area this spring, That forest is really sick. Over half of the trees are dead from insect damage. What a prime are for a huge fire. Hopefully the fire kills the insects.
Hopefully the fire takes out the dead trees.