As weather improves, so does optimism over wildfires

Both communities were in the path of flames from a cluster of wildfires dubbed the Okanogan Complex, which has doubled in size since Thursday to scorch some 161,000 acres (65,154 hectares) of brush and dry timber about 115 miles (185 km) northeast of Seattle. In all, almost a half-million acres have burned in Washington.

Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said the threat to people and homes was lower.

In west-central Idaho, fire managers say winds expected Friday could cause an 11-square-mile wildfire to grow significantly despite fire lines built by some 460 firefighters.

At least 47 homes and 37 outbuildings were burned in the Chelan-area fires, though more are likely to be counted. At least 10 blazes were burning in north-central Washington’s Okanogan County.

Some of the firefighters sent last week have been helping the U.S. Forest Service fighting wildfires in LoLo National Forest in Montana, and three truck crews were assigned to Washington State. The complex includes the so-called Twisp River fire, which killed three firefighters and injured four others on Wednesday night after forcing thousands of households to evacuate in the towns of Twisp and Winthrop.

Evacuations have been ordered in northern Idaho as a group of wildfires that has already destroyed 42 homes threatened more residences today. No injuries were reported.

A second of four firefighters injured in a wildfire on Wednesday has been transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, the Northwest’s major burn center.

“Coordinators will review citizens’ offers for resources and direct them to where they can be most beneficial”, the state Department of Natural Resources said. His name was not released. Harborview spokeswoman Susan Gregg said Saturday that the firefighter is listed in satisfactory condition.

The crews were in the canyon in two vehicles and on foot when the flames raced toward them.

When helicopters could safely fly, they sometimes found the buckets of water they dumped were blown off target from the hot spots.

“I’m feeling a whole lot better than I was 3 hours ago”, Craig said.

Firefighters should get a break in the weather Saturday.

“Our commitment to assist in this national effort to battle these unsafe fires is unwavering”, said Bob Martin, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection.

As with the other fires burning in Washington, there was progress made Saturday on the Carpenter Road fire burning in southwestern Stevens County partly on the Spokane Indian Reservation.

On Friday, even the Omak airport was not always secure as a fast-moving blaze ripped through the nearby range.

A tanker airplane pulls up over a ridge as it drops fire retardant on a wildfire north of Twisp, Wash., Friday, August 21, 2015. But crews had to adjust for the weather.

“We’re still advising people to be cautious”, she said.

Some structures have been lost, but an exact number is still unknown as this time. That’s what we do. “We’ve got no idea”. “It makes it really tough”. Some back burns were done on the west end, which is in good shape, said local volunteer Tom Cools. “He had a long-standing commitment coming from that, that line in his family so it tells you that it was embedded in his soul and that this is what he wanted to do”.

A Hialeah family went to great lengths to save their three dogs after their home caught on fire Saturday afternoon.

Stickpin Fire: This fire in Colville National Forest is at 35,530 acres, as of yesterday.