End Times and Current Events
March 29, 2024, 03:49:49 am
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
News: Welcome To End Times and Current Events.
 
  Home Help Search Gallery Staff List Login Register  

Washington firefighters battle heat, high winds

Shoutbox
March 27, 2024, 12:55:24 pm Mark says: Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked  When Hamas spokesman Abu Ubaida began a speech marking the 100th day of the war in Gaza, one confounding yet eye-opening proclamation escaped the headlines. Listing the motives for the Palestinian militant group's Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, he accused Jews of "bringing red cows" to the Holy Land.
December 31, 2022, 10:08:58 am NilsFor1611 says: blessings
August 08, 2018, 02:38:10 am suzytr says: Hello, any good churches in the Sacto, CA area, also looking in Reno NV, thanks in advance and God Bless you Smiley
January 29, 2018, 01:21:57 am Christian40 says: It will be interesting to see what happens this year Israel being 70 years as a modern nation may 14 2018
October 17, 2017, 01:25:20 am Christian40 says: It is good to type Mark is here again!  Smiley
October 16, 2017, 03:28:18 am Christian40 says: anyone else thinking that time is accelerating now? it seems im doing days in shorter time now is time being affected in some way?
September 24, 2017, 10:45:16 pm Psalm 51:17 says: The specific rule pertaining to the national anthem is found on pages A62-63 of the league rulebook. It states: “The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem. “During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition. It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.”
September 20, 2017, 04:32:32 am Christian40 says: "The most popular Hepatitis B vaccine is nothing short of a witch’s brew including aluminum, formaldehyde, yeast, amino acids, and soy. Aluminum is a known neurotoxin that destroys cellular metabolism and function. Hundreds of studies link to the ravaging effects of aluminum. The other proteins and formaldehyde serve to activate the immune system and open up the blood-brain barrier. This is NOT a good thing."
http://www.naturalnews.com/2017-08-11-new-fda-approved-hepatitis-b-vaccine-found-to-increase-heart-attack-risk-by-700.html
September 19, 2017, 03:59:21 am Christian40 says: bbc international did a video about there street preaching they are good witnesses
September 14, 2017, 08:06:04 am Psalm 51:17 says: bro Mark Hunter on YT has some good, edifying stuff too.
View Shout History
Pages: [1]   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: Washington firefighters battle heat, high winds  (Read 1061 times)
Psalm 51:17
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 28357


View Profile
« on: July 16, 2014, 08:22:29 pm »

Washington firefighters battle heat, high winds
http://news.yahoo.com/washington-firefighters-battle-heat-high-winds-192406703.html
7/16/14

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A state of emergency has been declared in 20 eastern Washington counties because of multiple wildfires and scorching hot temperatures coupled with high winds on Wednesday.

The declaration allows state officials to call up the Washington National Guard and the State Guard. It also directs state agencies to help local governments in responding to wildfires.

Washington state officials are worried about extreme fire conditions, including temperatures above 100 degrees and winds forecast at 30 mph in portions of the state east of the Cascade Range. They also worry about a lack of available firefighting resources in the Northwest.

Wildfires were also burning in Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and California on Wednesday.


In Oregon, a Klamath County wildfire turned out to be more destructive than authorities initially believed.

After the fire burned in the rural Moccasin Hill subdivision near Sprague River earlier this week, officials reported that six houses were destroyed, along with 14 outbuildings. But fire managers toured the burn area Tuesday and spokeswoman Ashley Lertora said they found 17 residences and 16 outbuildings destroyed.

Oregon Fire officials said Wednesday that the Bailey Butte fire — part of the Waterman Complex — had burned more than 3.1 square miles west of Mitchell and was moving south into the Ochoco National Forest. Two other fires near Service Creek and Kimberly brought the Waterman Complex to more than 6 square miles, or 4,000 acres. The fires are in timber, grass and brush.

In Washington, fire officials said a handful of new wildfires, some started by lightning, are growing in central Washington.

"The National Weather Service posted red flag warnings and fire weather watches ... for much of Eastern Washington from Wednesday afternoon through Friday," said the emergency declaration, which Lt. Gov. Brad Owen signed late Tuesday.

The state's largest wildfire, the Mills Canyon blaze near the town of Entiat, is now 40 percent contained and holding steady at about 35 square miles. About 1,000 firefighters are battling the blaze.

State fire assistance has been ordered for the Stokes Road fire, burning in the Methow Valley. Spokesman Jacob McCann says that fire has grown to 600 acres with zero containment. Residents of seven homes have been told to leave.

The Washington National Guard sent two helicopters and 14 personnel to help battle the blaze.

"Our guardsmen are highly trained for these types of emergencies," said Major General Bret Daugherty, the state's adjutant general. "We stand ready to provide additional assistance if needed."

Smaller fires are burning north of Leavenworth and on the northern edges of the Army's rugged Yakima Training Center.

In Idaho, a half dozen air tankers worked to contain a fast-spreading wildfire that has grown to 49 square miles in two days.

The lightning-caused Preacher Fire is burning through grass and brush southwest of Carey and is being fanned by erratic winds. No structures have been reported lost.

The Whiskey Complex of fires in the Boise National Forest has resulted in voluntary evacuations for residents of about 60 homes in the Garden Valley area.

In Nevada, fire crews have the upper hand on a lightning-sparked wildfire near Reno. But the forecast calls for thunderstorms that could bring new fire threats.

About 140 firefighters remained on the lines Wednesday at the blaze that has burned 400 acres of brush and grass on U.S. Forest Service land near U.S. Highway 395 at Bordertown, just northwest of Reno. No injuries have been reported and no structures are threatened.

The fire was estimated to be 15 percent contained Wednesday afternoon with help from four air tankers and three helicopters.

In rural Northern California, cooler temperatures and higher humidity helped firefighters battling the Bully Fire, which has burned through more than 13 square miles. The fire, which authorities blame on marijuana-growing activity, was 35 percent contained Wednesday morning.

Eight homes have been destroyed since Friday and 55 homes around one community are threatened.
Report Spam   Logged

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Psalm 51:17
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 28357


View Profile
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2014, 08:15:29 pm »

http://news.yahoo.com/washington-wildfire-burns-alp-terrain-145949901.html
Washington wildfire burns through Alp-like terrain
7/17/14

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A wind-fueled wildfire chased people from nearly 900 homes in Washington state as it burned through a landscape so reminiscent of the Alps a nearby village adopted a Bavarian theme to attract tourists.

The blaze sent a light dusting of ash over Leavenworth, where the German-style motif provides a backdrop to Oktoberfest and a Christmas tree lighting festival.

There was zero containment Wednesday as the flames tore through timber. More heat and winds gusting up to 30 mph were forecast for Thursday.

The fire's smoke plume, visible for miles, rose 25,000 feet into the air. The blaze closed 35 miles of U.S. Highway 2, stretching from Leavenworth to Stevens Pass in the Cascade Mountains.

"There's a huge cloud of smoke above us," Don Hurst, a retired firefighter who lives just outside of Leavenworth, said Thursday morning. "The winds started to pick up a little. It's just like snowfall here with the ash coming down. It's fine ash. We're getting all this ash fall."

Residents of 860 homes have been told they should leave immediately, fire officials said. Another 800 homes were less seriously threatened.

Authorities said Thursday morning that the Chiwaukum Creek Fire has grown to more than 10 square miles. It was first detected Tuesday.

"The weather and winds are not in our favor," said fire spokeswoman Mary Bean. She said temperatures were expected to top 100 degrees with winds gusting to 30 mph in the area Thursday.

She said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

About 1,000 firefighters were on the lines at the Chiwaukum Creek fire, the Mills Canyon blaze near Entiat and a third wildfire. The containment level on the Mills Canyon fire, the state's largest at 35 square miles, held steady at 40 percent.

Worsening wildfire activity has prompted the governor's offices in both Washington and Oregon to declare states of emergency, a move that allows state officials to call up the National Guard.
View gallery
A large cloud rises over wildfires in Eastern Wash …
A large cloud rises over wildfires in Eastern Washington as seen from University District at sunset  …

State fire assistance was ordered for the Carlton Complex of fires burning in north-central Washington's Methow Valley, where residents of about a dozen homes have been told to leave. The fires grew dramatically early Thursday to more than 28 square miles, spokesman Jacob McCann said. There was zero containment.

"We have extreme fire behavior and rapid growth," McCann said of the four fires that make up the complex.

A fire that started Wednesday afternoon in a northeast Oregon field west of Heppner raced quickly across as much as 20,000 acres, or some 30 square miles, before firefighters stopped its advancement, the Morrow County sheriff's office said.

Undersheriff Steven Myren said no homes or other structures were lost, "although the fire did get uncomfortably close to some."

Several other fires have blackened parts of Oregon, while blazes encouraged by dry conditions raged elsewhere in the West
View gallery
Flames from a lightning caused fire can be seen from …
Flames from a lightning caused fire can be seen from U.S. 395 just north of the Nevada-California bo …

In Utah, a wildfire encroaching on homes in the Tooele County town of Stockton had burned about 200 acres. Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands spokesman Jason Curry said the fire burned part of a water tower but it's believed no homes have been destroyed. A 27-year-old Tooele man has been arrested on charges that he ignited the fire with matches.

In central Idaho, the lightning-caused Preacher Fire has scorched nearly 53 square miles in two days, burning quickly through grass and brush. But fire managers said Wednesday they had made good progress.

Evacuation orders have been called off for several rural homes in Northern California as firefighters took advantage of cool, moist conditions.

Some residents near the destructive fire in Shasta County have been advised they may need to evacuate again, and the blaze that has burned more than 10,000 acres — or nearly 17 square miles — still poses a threat to nearly 70 homes, state fire officials said in a statement Wednesday night.

Marijuana-growing activity led to the fire breaking out on Friday, authorities said.
Report Spam   Logged
Psalm 51:17
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 28357


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2014, 02:04:27 pm »

Massive wildfire burns homes, leads to evacuations
http://news.yahoo.com/massive-wildfire-burns-homes-leads-evacuations-164310104.html
7/18/14

A large, wind-whipped wildfire in rural north-central Washington destroyed an estimated 100 homes, forced the evacuation of a small town and cut power to most of the scenic Methow Valley.

A spokesman for the Carlton Complex Fire, Jacob McCann, said Friday that the fire "ran quite a bit" on Thursday and officials were also able to get a better handle on its size. It blackened 260 square miles by Friday morning, up dramatically from the last estimate of 28 square miles.

"Mother Nature is winning here," Don Waller, chief of Okanogan County Fire District 6, told The Wenatchee World.

Officials say no injuries have been reported.

Authorities say the wildfire has already burned about 100 homes and prompted the evacuation of the small town of Pateros, home to about 650 people in Okanogan County. A hospital in nearby Brewster was also evacuated as a precaution.

"There's nobody in Pateros" except a few "stragglers" who stayed, Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said, adding the fire was burning in the town, although the small business district was believed intact.

Rogers said Friday morning that his team counted 30 homes and trailers destroyed in Pateros, another 40 in a community just outside the town at Alta Lake and about 25 homes destroyed elsewhere in the county of about 40,000 people.

"Two of my people lost their homes," Rogers said.

Rogers said the fire had jumped U.S. Highway 97 between Brewster and Pateros and was burning along the Columbia. Sections of several highways were closed in the county.

Early Friday, the Okanogan County Sheriff's dispatch office said the roughly 300 residents of the Chiliwist Valley, about 15 miles north of Pateros, evacuated late Thursday night.

Two major power lines, one feeding Pateros and one feeding Winthrop and Twisp, have burned, causing a widespread power outage in the county, said Scott Miller, the county's emergency manager.

Most of the Methow Valley from Carlton to Mazama was without power after utility poles burned. The Methow Valley, about 180 miles east of Seattle, is a popular area for hiking and fishing.

About 100 miles to the south, the Chiwaukum Creek Fire chased people from nearly 900 homes as it burned near the Bavarian-themed village of Leavenworth.

That fire sent a light dusting of ash over Leavenworth, and the fire's smoke plume rose 25,000 feet into the air. The blaze closed 15 miles of U.S. Highway 2.

Residents of 860 homes have been told they should leave immediately, fire officials said. Another 800 homes were less seriously threatened.

Authorities said Thursday that the Chiwaukum Creek Fire has grown to more than 10 square miles. It was first detected Tuesday.

"The weather and winds are not in our favor," said fire spokeswoman Mary Bean. She said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Worsening wildfire activity has prompted the governor's offices in both Washington and Oregon to declare states of emergency, a move that allows state officials to call up the National Guard.
Report Spam   Logged
Psalm 51:17
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 28357


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2014, 11:31:33 am »

Damage from Washington wildfires 'hard to believe'
http://news.yahoo.com/damage-washington-wildfires-hard-believe-073213321.html
7/19/14

PATEROS, Wash. (AP) — Residents strolled through the smoldering rubble of their neighborhoods, some wearing surgical masks to protect their lungs from the smoke and ash lingering in the air of the riverside community they call "Paterodise."

"Paterodise is hurting right now," said one, Stephanie Brown, as she surveyed what was left of a friend's home.

A wind-driven, lightning-caused wildfire racing through rural north-central Washington destroyed about 100 homes Thursday and Friday, leaving behind solitary brick chimneys and burned-out automobiles as it blackened hundreds of square miles in the scenic Methow Valley northeast of Seattle.

The Okanogan County town of Pateros, home to 650 people, was hit especially hard. Most residents evacuated in advance of the flames, and some returned Friday to see what, if anything, was left of their houses.

Residents of the small town of Malott, north of Pateros, were told to leave their homes Friday as the fire advanced, as were some living in outlying areas of nearby Brewster.

"We basically evacuated the whole town" of Malott, Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said Friday night. Several hours later, he said one home had burned in Malott but the fire threat in Brewster had eased.

Malott is home to about 500 people, while the population of Brewster is about 2,400.

There were no reports of injuries, the sheriff said, adding he knew the overall damage toll has grown but he didn't have an updated number.

In Pateros, a wall of fire wiped out a block of homes on Dawson Street. David Brownlee, 75, said he drove away Thursday evening just as the fire reached the front of his home, which erupted like a box of matches.

"It was just a funnel of fire," Brownlee said. "All you could do was watch her go."

Next door, the Pateros Community Church appeared largely undamaged.

Carol Hamshaw said her home, her daughter's home and her brother's home were all destroyed Thursday.

"It's hard to believe until you stand here and see it," she said.

The pavement of U.S. Highway 97 stopped the advance of some of the flames, protecting parts of the town. The mayor, Libby Harrison, lost her own home of the past five years, and said she expected most people to rebuild.

"As a community you come together and make a big thing better," she said.

Firefighters poured water over the remnants of homes Friday morning, raising clouds of smoke, steam and dust. Two big water towers perched just above the town were singed black. Ash fell like snowflakes.

The fire consumed utility poles from two major power lines, knocking out power to Pateros as well as the towns of Winthrop and Twisp to the north.

Gov. Jay Inslee said about 50 fires were burning in Washington, which has been wracked by hot, dry weather, gusting winds and lightning. Some 2,000 firefighters were working in the eastern part of the state, with about a dozen helicopters from the Department of Natural Resources and the National Guard, along with a Washington State Patrol spotter plane.


Karina Shagren, spokeswoman for the state's Military Department, said 100 National Guard troops were on standby, and up to 1,000 more in Yakima could receive additional fire training. Active duty military could be called in as well, Inslee said.

"This, unfortunately, is not going to be a one-day or one-week event," he said.

Sections of several highways were closed in the Methow Valley, a popular area for hiking and fishing about 180 miles northeast of Seattle.

"There's a lot of misplaced people, living in parking lots and stuff right now," said Rod Griffin, a fly-fishing guide who lives near Twisp. "The whole valley's in disarray."

He described long lines for gasoline, with at least one gas station out of fuel, and said cellphone towers must have been damaged as well because there was very little service.


In Brewster, a hospital was evacuated as a precaution. The smoke was so thick there Friday it nearly obscured the Columbia River from adjacent highways. The smoke extended all the way to Spokane, 150 miles to the east.

Officials said the fire, known as the Carlton Complex, had blackened more than 260 square miles by Friday, up dramatically from the prior estimate of 28 square miles.

"Mother Nature is winning here," Don Waller, chief of Okanogan County Fire District 6, told The Wenatchee World newspaper.

The county sheriff said his team counted 30 houses and trailers destroyed in Pateros, another 40 in a community just outside the town at Alta Lake, and about 25 homes destroyed elsewhere in the county of about 40,000 people.

About 100 miles to the south, the Mills Canyon-Chiwaukum Creek complex of fires earlier chased people from nearly 900 homes as it sent a dusting of ash over the Bavarian-themed village of Leavenworth. Most of those evacuation orders were rolled back by Friday, with residents of only about 300 homes affected, said fire spokesman Bob MacGregor.

In southwest Grant County, three small communities were told to be prepared to evacuate if necessary due to a wildfire burning in neighboring Kittitas County, the Grant County Sheriff's office said. And a portion of State Route 243 near Interstate 90 was temporarily closed because of smoke.

Worsening wildfire activity has prompted the governor's offices in both Washington and Oregon to declare states of emergency, a move that allows state officials to call up the National Guard.

Fifteen large fires were reported throughout Oregon on Friday, burning across more than 565 square miles of timber, rangeland and grass. Dozens of homes were evacuated as incident management teams and hotshot crews were brought in from at least nine states to supplement Oregon's strained resources.
Report Spam   Logged
Psalm 51:17
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 28357


View Profile
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2014, 02:38:05 pm »

Gusty winds fuel destructive Washington wildfire
http://news.yahoo.com/gusty-winds-fuel-destructive-washington-wildfire-083250254.html
7/20/14

WINTHROP, Wash. (AP) — A massive wildfire that has forced the evacuation of towns, destroyed numerous homes and blackened scenic hillsides in north-central Washington has been burning into new areas, fueled by dry conditions and gusty winds.

The lightning-caused fire by Saturday had scorched nearly 340 square miles in the scenic Methow Valley. The fire was measured at 260 square miles Friday.

Road closures and evacuations were changing regularly, as hot weather and winds with gusts up to 30 mph were pushing the fire over ridge tops and toward a cluster of small towns northeast of Seattle.

"This is a very active and fluid situation," fire spokesman Chuck Turey said.

People living between Carlton and Pateros have been told to leave their homes. The fire has downed power lines and many towns were without electrical power or phone service Saturday.

There were no reports of serious injuries. Minor burns and bruises had been reported, but Turey called that "a pretty amazing safety record."

On Saturday, officials said that only one more structure was destroyed overnight by the blaze.

Airplanes and helicopters were dropping water and fire retardant on all parts of the fire, with no one area more of a concern than another, Turey said.

"We're seeing some wind shifts so that the fire is going to be pushed in some directions it hasn't been pushed to date," he said, adding that the good news is that in some places the wind is pushing the first back on itself.

Rancher Vic Stokes, 60, went to bed Friday thinking the fires had calmed down and his ranch outside of Twist was safe.

He and his family have been fighting brush fires since Thursday, getting little sleep.

By Saturday, a fire had jumped to a nearby creek bed. Stokes, his son and his daughter-in-law spent the morning clearing brush. "Anything that hasn't burned has a chance of burning yet," Stokes said.

So far, his home is intact, but he's lost hay and a barn and is worried for livestock he had grazing in an area that's now scorched.

"We need to get up there and see what we can find that's alive. We know we lost cattle," he said.

As the fire got closer to Carlton, rancher Pete Scott brought 60 cattle to his property in town from the range land. His home, a green oasis, is serving a meeting point for some of the displaced residents. "We're trying to survive," Scott said.

The fire has calmed down near Pateros, where it destroyed about 100 homes Thursday and Friday, Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said. "It's just starting to run out of places to burn," he said.

The fire has picked up on its north side closer to Winthrop, but winds have been erratic and were blowing the fire in different directions.

The blaze was burning in a sparsely populated area, with homes scattered throughout the woods and along the highway.

Fire officials said the Chiwaukum Creek Fire west of Leavenworth has grown to more than 10,000 acres by Saturday evening.

The blaze closed U.S. Highway 2 from Coles Corner to Leavenworth. The fire was burning north of the highway but a spot fire flared up to the south on Saturday that was quickly put out, officials said.

KING-TV in Seattle reported that there are no reports of structures being burned, but residents in the area near Leavenworth are under an evacuation order, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources.

Gov. Jay Inslee said about 50 fires were burning in Washington, which has been wracked by hot, dry weather, gusting winds and lightning. Some 2,000 firefighters were working in the eastern part of the state, with about a dozen helicopters from the Department of Natural Resources and the National Guard, along with a Washington State Patrol spotter plane.

Karina Shagren, spokeswoman for the state's Military Department, said 100 National Guard troops were on standby, and up to 1,000 more in Yakima could receive additional fire training. Active duty military could be called in as well, Inslee said.

The Washington state Department of Natural Resources announced Saturday evening that firefighters from New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming are coming to the state to help battle the blazes.


Early Saturday, authorities announced that they are bringing in two military air tankers from Wyoming to help fight wildfires in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere. Officials at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, say the tankers were activated to ensure that firefighters had adequate air tanker capability in the region.
Report Spam   Logged
Psalm 51:17
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 28357


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2014, 10:54:40 am »

http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/20/us/pacific-northwest-wildfires/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
7/21/14
Pacific Northwest wildfires char a million acres, spur warnings of bad air

(CNN) -- Nearly a million acres were burning as 21 wildfires raged in the Pacific Northwest on Sunday, fire officials said.

The unconfined fires in Oregon and Washington, mostly ignited by lightning from thunderstorms that swept through the region a week ago, covered 942,247 by Sunday, Northwest Interagency Coordination Center spokeswoman Carol Connolly said.

The 21 large fires are the most the region has seen on the landscape at one time, she said.

According to Okanogan County, Washington, Sheriff Frank Rogers, one person died attempting to protect his home from the flames.

Authorities arrested two people over the weekend on suspicion of arson, the sheriff said. They set backfires to protect their property.

More than 150 structures have been lost. The sheriff expects that number to go up.

"I've been here 30 years, never seen anything like this," Rogers said.

According to Connolly, firefighters from across the United States, including Mississippi, Illinois, New Mexico, Utah and Montana, have joined the battle, bringing to 8,928 the number of people involved in trying to contain the fires. There are 35 "hot shot" crews involved, she said.

Health officials in Washington and Idaho are warning residents that smoke drifting eastward from the Washington wildfires would create unhealthy air.

"The biggest health threat comes from the fine particles in smoke," the National Weather Service said. "These can cause burning eyes, runny nose, bronchitis and other illnesses. Smokey air can also aggravate heart and lung disease, and even lead to death."
Report Spam   Logged
Psalm 51:17
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 28357


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2014, 04:34:41 pm »

http://news.msn.com/us/sheriff-300-homes-burned-in-washington-wildfire
Sheriff: 300 homes burned in Washington wildfire
7/26/14

TWISP, Wash. (AP) — About 300 homes — twice as many as previously estimated — have burned in the largest recorded wildfire in Washington state history, a county sheriff said Friday.

Officials had placed the number of homes destroyed at 150 in north-central Washington's Carlton fire complex. But Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said he knew that figure would rise because crews hadn't been able to reach some of the burned areas.

The updated estimate came after Rogers and his deputies drove 750 miles of roadway through the blackened area, surveying the devastation.

"It's every road. Every road lost something," Rogers said. "It looks like a moonscape; there's nothing left. There's hundreds of dead livestock. It's horrifying."

At nearly 400 square miles, the lightning-caused Carlton Complex has eclipsed the 1902 Yacolt Burn, which killed 38 people and consumed about 373 square miles, or 238,920 acres, in southwest Washington. The Carlton Complex has been blamed for the death of a man who appeared to suffer a heart attack while trying to protect his property.

Fire crews have reported good progress in the last few days, with cooler weather and rain helping in getting the fire a little more than half contained. But officials were concerned that hotter, drier weather and wind gusts in the forecast could increase fire activity.

The fire has been burning in the scenic Methow Valley, a popular area for hiking and fishing about 180 miles northeast of Seattle. The fire destroyed 30 homes in the town of Pateros, one of the worst-hit areas.

Power was finally restored to parts of the valley, including Twisp and Winthrop, on Friday, eight days after the fire burned two key utility lines. But many people in outlying areas remained without electricity, Rogers said.

Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday extended a burn ban for dry eastern Washington for one more week. The ban had been set to end Friday.

"While fire crews have made significant progress over the past week in bringing the fires under control, weather conditions are still a concern and we need to continue erring on the side of safety," Inslee said. "Resources are still stretched thin and we want everything we have focused on containing the remaining fires and helping impacted families."

He also said that the state would waive permit requirements for anyone in the affected areas who wants to use extra-large generators because they remain without power.
Report Spam   Logged
Psalm 51:17
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 28357


View Profile
« Reply #7 on: August 06, 2014, 08:32:51 am »

http://news.yahoo.com/more-wildfire-evacuations-feared-winds-fan-flames-washington-183426806.html
More wildfire evacuations feared as winds fan flames in Washington state
8/5/14

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Crews battling to contain a wildfire burning close to a city in Washington state said stronger winds forecast for Tuesday could push flames into surrounding canyons, and urged people to be ready for more evacuations.

About 180 homes closest to the so-called Snag Canyon blaze remained under evacuation orders, while residents in Ellensburg, a city of about 18,000 people east of the Cascade mountains, feared their homes could be at risk, fire officials said.

"We are getting a lot of calls from people worried, and from people in the evacuation zone" said Rose Schriner, a spokeswoman with the Kittitas County Emergency Operations Center. "It's supposed to get windy this afternoon, so the concern now is (flames) moving canyon to canyon."

Six homes and 10 outbuildings have already burned outside Ellensburg, about 10 miles away from the leading edge of the fire, and officials hoped agricultural irrigation systems could be used as defense against a potential expansion into the town center.

The West Coast fire season, which runs from mid-May to mid-October, is on track to be one of the busiest and most destructive in recent history, experts said.

Extreme drought in California and abnormally dry conditions across Oregon, Washington and Idaho have made parched forests and vegetation easy kindling for wildfires, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

California has seen a 35 percent increase in the number of wildfires this year and 44 percent more acres have burned than in the past five years on average, said CalFire spokeswoman Lynne Tolmachoff.

More than a dozen blazes were raging in the state - the two most challenging the 39,850-acre Bald fire and the 28,600-acre Eiler fire burning about eight miles from each other in California's northeast, threatening dozens of homes in the small town of Burney, Tolmachoff said.

In Oregon, 3,500 firefighters were battling blazes covering more than 84,000 acres of forestlands across the state on Tuesday, hoping cooler weather would aid containment efforts.

About 270 homes are on stand-by awaiting possible evacuation orders near Oregon's border with California, where a fire in Siskiyou Mountains has destroyed six homes, the Oregon Department of Forestry said on Tuesday.

Near the Idaho border, the tiny community of Imnaha was evacuated on Tuesday as a 4,000-acre fire threatened the homes of the 160 people who live there, Oregon fire officials said.
Report Spam   Logged
Psalm 51:17
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 28357


View Profile
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2014, 10:12:06 pm »

http://local.msn.com/heat-wave-grips-the-northwest-early-this-week-1
Heat wave grips the Northwest early this week

Temperatures will be soaring way above normal for the early part of the week before returning to typical August highs.

8/10/14

Temperatures will be soaring way above normal for the early part of the week before returning to typical August highs.

Following a stretch of days with afternoon highs near normal for this time in August, things will be heating up for the new week.

By Monday afternoon, temperatures will be well above the average highs. Many cities will have temperatures more than 10 degrees above normal, including Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon.

Those who plan to spend time outside should try to limit time outdoors during the middle of the day when temperatures will be highest. If you can't do your outdoor activities early or late in the day, be sure to wear protective clothing and take frequent breaks and drink plenty of water.

These temperatures also will continue to fuel the wildfires burning across the West. Only a few spotty thunderstorms remain in the forecast through the week, mainly in the mountains. The lightning with these storms could even ignite new fires.
Report Spam   Logged
Psalm 51:17
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 28357


View Profile
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2014, 02:49:38 pm »

http://local.msn.com/washington-state-enduring-record-wildfire-season-official-says
Washington state enduring record wildfire season, official says

The wildfire season in Washington state has been one of the most destructive on record, charring 550 square miles of wilderness and destroying hundreds of homes and structures, the state Department of Natural Resources said on Thursday.

9/11/14

SEATTLE — The wildfire season in Washington state has been one of the most destructive on record, charring 550 square miles of wilderness and destroying hundreds of homes and structures, the state Department of Natural Resources said on Thursday.

The assessment came as Washington Governor Jay Inslee renewed a request for the federal government to offer assistance to more than 300 people who lost their homes during July's record-setting Carlton Complex blaze near the Cascade Mountains.

Washington has already spent $81 million battling blazes this year, with a normal operating budget of $25 million annually, said Sandra Kaiser, a spokeswoman for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

With unusually destructive wildfire seasons predicted to continue in California, Oregon and Washington amid drought-like conditions, low humidity and warmer than average weather, Kaiser said, the priority should be shifting funds to fire prevention.

"The hope is that we can do a better job of preventing fires so we don't have to spend so much fighting fires," she said.

By the end of August, 363,000 acres, or 550 square miles, had burned, compared with an average of 61,000 acres over the past five years.

Kaiser said 2014 was likely to end up the most costly and destructive wildfire season on record.

On Wednesday, state forecaster Aaron Everett told a panel of lawmakers Washington would benefit from putting more funds toward preventative measures including thinning trees in parched forests and helping homeowners prepare in the event of a wildfire.

Experts are also bracing for more fire activity this fall, with September forecasts indicating low humidity, lightning storms and extremely warm weather.
Report Spam   Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by EzPortal
Bookmark this site! | Upgrade This Forum
Free SMF Hosting - Create your own Forum

Powered by SMF | SMF © 2016, Simple Machines
Privacy Policy