Fire Near Spokane Doubles in Size; Homes Lost

Firefighters say the Hart Road Fire, burning near the town of Wellpinit, has grown to more than 10,000 acres in size and is 0% contained.

Spokane fire officials say the blaze is not under control. (Spokesman-Review) Cyclist injured in Idaho A 65-year-old cyclist was seriously injured when hit by a auto in Kootenai County on Sunday afternoon.

Authorities say wildfires burning in eastern Washington have destroyed at least 16 homes.

In Lincoln County, about 35 miles east Spokane, a fire north of Davenport also has forced people to flee their homes. Officials said 1,000 acres are burning and structures have been lost.

The Hart Road fire is estimated at 1000 acres.

A third, smaller fire just to the northeast of Spokane had died down since Sunday and posed less of a threat, Magers said. Many were left wondering if their homes would be spared. The town also lost power, making the battle by firefighters more hard. A growing wildfire in central California has forced the closure of the historic Hearst Castle.

According to the Spokesman Review, multiple homes were damaged in the Beacon Hill blaze, and some residents used garden hoses in attempt to put out the fire.

Emergency officials confronting a cluster of wildfires with limited resources in eastern Washington state enlisted the help of local farmers to help battle flames that have destroyed about two dozen buildings near Spokane, authorities said on Monday.

Fire spokeswoman Diley Greiser said early Monday that residents of at least 50 mostly rural homes near Lake Nacimiento were ordered to leave late Sunday.

The fire, raging in the dry brush of the Columbia River Basin, was threatening homes and crops, but had not burned any homes, the State Patrol said.