Massive blazes across dry West drain firefighting resources

Firefighters battling Washington’s massive Chelan Complex fire are keeping a close eye on the weather.

Firefighters have reported progress in recent days after using controlled burns to help contain the Chelan fire, but are warning evacuated residents that the danger hasn’t passed.

Firefighters are bracing for high winds that could expand wildfires burning across Eastern Washington.

Fire officials monitoring the Chelan Complex Fire say significant progress has been made on the fires over the last 24 hours and containment is now being listed at 30%, while the size is estimated to be 63,425 acres.

Chris Schulte, incident commander for the Chelan Complex Fire, …

“It’s like the fire season gas pedal has been pushed to the floor in a really short period of time, and that’s stressed our resources”, Frederick said.

Two Black Hawk helicopters arrived Friday and five 20-person hand crews arrived Sunday evening to join 350 firefighters battling one of the state’s most active fires, Cougar Creek, on the southeastern slopes of Mount Adams.

“You ll see firefighters from all over assisting with the western wildfires”, she said, adding that personnel from the eastern seaboard to Alaska had been tapped.

The fires in the Pacific Northwest get top priority when it comes to allocating pinched resources.

This scenic lakeside town in the Cascade Mountains counts on money from summer visitors, but many tourists fled after large wildfires erupted last week that burned dozens of homes and threaten many more.

In northern Idaho, more than 40 homes were lost near the town of Kamiah, and in Oregon a lightning-sparked blaze on the Malheur National Forest has grown to more than 60 square miles and has destroyed at least 26 homes.

The blazes near Chelan, about 180 miles east of Seattle, are burning through grass, brush and timber, fire spokeswoman Janet Pearce said.

On Tuesday, smoke was thick in the air of downtown Chelan. Some residents wore surgical masks as they walked through town. So far, 32 homes have been confirmed as lost, but crews expect that number to end up being 50-75 when they get a better chance to evaluate.

“It’s hot. It’s dirty”, said Allen, who usually works for the Bureau of Land Management in Alaska.

She said they would rebuild.

“The military has been activated”. “Even my district, we already had units out on other fires….” “The name of the game today would be going on offense”. That includes deliberate burnouts in some areas, plus trying to direct the fire into previously burned areas or areas with little fuel.