A wildfire fueled by high temperatures and strong winds roared into a central Washington neighborhood, destroying properties and forcing residents of several hundred homes to flee, authorities said Monday, June 29, 2015.
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June 29, 2015 - 9:27 AM
SEATTLE - A wildfire fueled by high temperatures and strong winds roared into a central Washington neighborhood, destroying properties and forcing residents of several hundred homes to flee, authorities said Monday.
The blaze ignited in brush just outside Wenatchee on Sunday afternoon and still was burning out of control, said Rich Magnussen, a spokesman for the Chelan County Emergency Management office.
Officials hoped light rainfall would help crews get a handle on the flames that burned 24 structures, including homes, about 120 miles east of Seattle, Washington State Patrol Trooper Darren Wright said.
"We know the fire has grown overnight and we lost several more structures," Wright said Monday.
The emergency management office said the evacuations were mainly in the north end of town, and included a Walmart store. The store did not burn, but several commercial buildings were near the blaze, Wright said.
There have been no immediate reports of injuries.
Officials know the fire started in brush on the edge of town but they are still trying to determine what sparked it, Magnussen said. Sweltering heat above 100 degrees, tinder-dry brush and strong winds helped fuel it.
Railroad traffic in the area has been shut down, including freight lines and Amtrak's daily Chicago to Seattle route, BNSF Railway spokesman Gus Melonas said.
The railroad helped battle the blaze by spraying water from tank cars and transferring water to firefighting trucks, he said. The flames have caused some rail damage that crews were inspecting and repairing, Melonas said.
Reports Sunday night said the fire had burned 2.6 square miles, but it has grown and a helicopter was getting an update its scope Monday morning, officials said.
Hundreds of firefighters were on the scene and more headed there.
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Associated Press writers Bob Seavey and Courtney Bonnell in Phoenix contributed to this report.
News from © The Associated Press, 2015