Cle Elum wildfire burns 60 homes, threatens more
CLE ELUM, Wash. (AP) - A fast-moving wildfire burned 60 homes across about 40 square miles of central Washington grassland, timber and sagebrush.
Fire commanders estimated Tuesday the blaze has burned at least 26,000 acres since it started Monday afternoon east of the town of Cle Elum.
So far, no injuries have been reported but more than 400 people have been forced to flee, said Department of Natural Resources Fire Incident Commander Rex Reed
The fire crept within six miles of Ellensburg, about 75 miles east of Seattle.
The blaze, which began at a bridge construction site, is not contained. Authorities worried about wind and heat, saying the fire danger was extreme.
"We've had a long prolonged dry period - three weeks with no precipitation at all," Reed said.
About 15 evacuees stayed overnight at Munson Hall on the Central Washington University campus in Ellensburg, said spokesman Robert Lowery. The building is a dormitory usually used for conferences and could take a total of 150 evacuees, he said.
The fire also threatened a chimpanzee sanctuary. "They definitely know there's weirdness happening," Outreach Director Diana Goodrich said Tuesday. "There are still fire trucks here, and they're curious about them."
The state Transportation Department said a 14-mile section of U.S. Highway 97 was closed because of the fire.
The fire started along Highway 10 between Ellensburg and Cle Elum, said Kent Verbeck, a commissioner and one of the volunteers with Fire District 7.
"It went on up the hillside in an area where there are some pretty nice homes, and it burned up there," Verbeck said. "There may be cabins and outbuildings as well."
Verbeck was on the fire line until early Tuesday.
"A lot of the area is sagebrush, which is really dry and burning with a pretty good flame," he said. "Lot of dry terrain with the wind going the right way, and it just kept going," Verbeck said.
"It eventually got so big and spread so much late last night we were dealing with miles of fire front," he said.
Map of fire as of Tuesday morning:
Fire commanders estimated Tuesday the blaze has burned at least 26,000 acres since it started Monday afternoon east of the town of Cle Elum.
So far, no injuries have been reported but more than 400 people have been forced to flee, said Department of Natural Resources Fire Incident Commander Rex Reed
The fire crept within six miles of Ellensburg, about 75 miles east of Seattle.
The blaze, which began at a bridge construction site, is not contained. Authorities worried about wind and heat, saying the fire danger was extreme.
"We've had a long prolonged dry period - three weeks with no precipitation at all," Reed said.
About 15 evacuees stayed overnight at Munson Hall on the Central Washington University campus in Ellensburg, said spokesman Robert Lowery. The building is a dormitory usually used for conferences and could take a total of 150 evacuees, he said.
The fire also threatened a chimpanzee sanctuary. "They definitely know there's weirdness happening," Outreach Director Diana Goodrich said Tuesday. "There are still fire trucks here, and they're curious about them."
The state Transportation Department said a 14-mile section of U.S. Highway 97 was closed because of the fire.
The fire started along Highway 10 between Ellensburg and Cle Elum, said Kent Verbeck, a commissioner and one of the volunteers with Fire District 7.
"It went on up the hillside in an area where there are some pretty nice homes, and it burned up there," Verbeck said. "There may be cabins and outbuildings as well."
Verbeck was on the fire line until early Tuesday.
"A lot of the area is sagebrush, which is really dry and burning with a pretty good flame," he said. "Lot of dry terrain with the wind going the right way, and it just kept going," Verbeck said.
"It eventually got so big and spread so much late last night we were dealing with miles of fire front," he said.
Map of fire as of Tuesday morning:
I honestly think that the news stations need to work better with emergency management. The only picture from all the news feeds are from this morning at 8AM. This story has gone live to accross the nation and I would encourage more stations or this one to do something right away, please work immediately with emergency management with the areas in immediate danger posting every 4 hours and when they are determining danger. There are people hanging on the edge including my family. Without news in coordination with emeregency management how can we help each other with technology?
Sorry to hear about the loss of property. That area is always dry and windy this time of the year. Hope it wasn't caused by an errant cigarette. This is always a great reminder to remove brush and trees from around homes so they don't go up in smoke!!
Does anyone have info about Sunlight Waters? We have a house there and I get no response from phnes in the area.
 @Sandra Jacobsen did you get your answer yet? I have property on Morrison Canyon and I'm going over in an hour or so to find out what's going on and deliver a truck load of water and pet food. If you want to send me a message on Facebook I'll let you know what I find out when I get home later tonight. Kym Codomo
 @Sandra Jacobsen Sandra - I live 5 miles west of there....Been down twice today to check for friends....It's all good for now. tTere is a fire below down by the river, but doubtful it would come that way....Has been Evacuated, Sheriff posted, keeping all from entering...U should be good.......
 @Sandra Jacobsen I would call the the fire district head office, or the Assessor's office. possibly real estate too.
Â
 @Sandra Jacobsen This link shows that they evacuated Sunlight Waters overnight. http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/free/news/fast-moving-wildfire-threatens-houses-east-of-cle-elum/article_15130dba-e59c-11e1-9e33-0019bb2963f4.html
if you want up to date you can listen to the scanner at radioreferrence.com.
Near Cle Elum! Really? A whole lot closer to Ellensburg oh media wonders.
@Chico yes, cle elum. Not ellensburg
 @Chico Not true....2 miles East of Cle Elum....
Â
 @Lake Cle Elum The fire is just north of E-burg off of the 97 connector.
Â
My mothers house has burned down : (.
 @chryptal  @Mesh  @Lake Fire started just east of Cle Elum on Hwy 10 at Taylor Rd, move east and is now in Reecer Canyon/Green Canyon area....It's a big fire....I don't have to listen to anything, I can see if from my house...
I am very sorry to hear that. I hope everyone is okay?? I am wondering about my sister and her husband.. they are building a home in the area and also have a small recreational property there...  @Mesh
 @Mesh I'm so sorry to hear that, hope she is okay. These fires are horrible and more hot weather on the way.
@Mesh @Lake Cle Elum sorry to hear that
Â
@Mesh @Lake Cle Elum why don't you listen to the scanner online at radiorefernce.com it is a huge fire and growing
Â
http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/free/news/fast-moving-wildfire-threatens-houses-east-of-cle-elum/article_15130dba-e59c-11e1-9e33-0019bb2963f4.html
Â
Information about fire. It's burning near Central... about 9 miles.
http://wlfhotlist.com/threads/29672-WA-SES-Taylor-Bridge-Fire
There you go. Once inciweb.org updates you may also find it there sometime soon.
 @Jesse_a29 Thanks for your polite response. Â
@Snohomey62 Lol well Im actually a DNR firefighter. Just tryin to help! If you click the link in my link that daily record news one there are photos and time updates.
 @Jesse_a29  @Snohomey62 Yup, I just saw that.  Very helpful.  Thanks again for the info and thank you for your service.  Good luck out there!
Does anyone get out of the house. I mean really? Google Maps will pin point the general vicinity within a couple of yards.
This area is heavily forested and is tender dry right now. The terrain is fairly level, however becomes very steep in this area, so it will be a difficult fire to contain. Since I ride a motorcycle, I take this route numerous times a year, as it is very scenic and picturesque. Think of a ride up to Blewett Pass out of Cle Elum.
Â
@Tolly371 yes, I do and have taken that route from Hwy 2 to Cle Elum several times this summer.
I wish there was a map showing the affected area and direction of fire travel. Â I've been searching on DNR and other websites and only have a general idea of where the fire is. Â No idea how big it is.... Â But given the other comments, sounds like it will be getting bigger fast. Â Â
If you are at the Indian John rest stop (in the west bound lanes) and you walk directly north, there is a cliff above the river. Directly across the valley(toward Teanaway/Liberty) there is another large hill (don't know the name) but that hill has burned. There is a house up on that hill with a flag that you can see at night. That house is still there, but another near it has burned.Â
Â
Follow Kittitas County Fire District #7 (Twitter and Facebook)
 @Snohomey62 Fire started from a Hwy const. project on Hwy 10 at Taylor Rd...Is spreading north and east....Over Lookout Mtn, Bettas Rd, over Hwy 97 heading toward Green Canyon and Reecer Creek....Hope this helps...Can see it from my house...
 @Snohomey62 From reading King 5's website it is up to 1000 acres..  Not sure of exactly where it is either.  If someone else can let us know that?  Is it moving towards Liberty?Â
As a cle elum native I can tell you, this is a bad area for a fire.
Â
This is a decades old tinder box, unfortunately we will see thousands of acres lost and around 180 McMansions burned.
At some point this week, the media may call this fire contained.
let me assure you the only containment for this particular fire will be the consumption of all available fuel.
Â
Â
This is a natural chimney fire, if that chimney was full of gasoline soaked hay.
I am reccomending the staff aslo use spell check or proofreaders. (For the staff writers, the words are spelled "recommending" and "also".
How about containted, also.
Â
 @CC  Thanks, I was so thrown by the first two misspellings, I missed that one. Not to make light of the fires (I currently reside in Idaho where there are more than enough wildfires burning), I just get very irritated by the spelling and grammar mistakes made by people who write for a living. In this age of spell check, as well as the countless other resources one may turn to online, there are really no excuses for sloppy mistakes like these
 @doxiemom2008 Care about spell check when people are having to leave their homes for their lives... come on make a better use of your energy...
 @theprinterlady Is Liberty in the line of the fire? I have property 2 miles north of Liberty.
True, they are just humans. However, they not only write for a living (and thus should have a good grasp of grammar and spelling), but they have access to spell check and grammar check... for some reason, they just don't seem to utilize it much. It's a puzzlement and an irritant.  @Elvis
 @doxiemom2008 What do you expect. They are just humans.
@doxiemom2008 @CC you guys, this is KOMO we are talking about...