Wildfires Out West: See the Smoke Rising Over Chelan, WA

It’s threatening 40 homes, as well as critical communication systems infrastructure. One resident, Mike Walsh, had his home saved by the crew. Kent Sisson, Chelan County Sheriff’s Office.

Terri Raffetto was at a community center that had been converted into a shelter in Entiat, about 20 miles south of Chelan. At one point almost 10,000 people were left without power and at least 1500 people were forced to evacuate.

The fire also prompted evacuations at nearby Diamond Lake Resort.

Officials report roughly 25 residences and over 100 structures have been destroyed. It was not clear how many people would be affected.

Lightning strikes started the fires Friday morning, said Jim Duck of the Central Washington Interagency Communication Center. Helicopters have been dipping into Lake Chelan for water to battle blazes north of the lake.

Both factors should allow good progress on a series of wildfires that grew together into large complexes, fire officials said Monday.

Officials say they don’t have the resources to contain the entire blaze, so they’re concentrating on protecting structures. About 600 firefighters are on the scene of the fire right now.

An incident command spokesman said the Reach Complex fires were the top priority fires in the nation on Sunday. As of Sunday evening, the fire was about a quarter-mile away from the Moses Mountain communication facility, which houses equipment that operates police, fire, EMS and parks emergency communications systems.

Crews said the fire destroyed nearly 100 power poles. Firefighters assisted by heavy helicopters were able to slow the spread of the Cagle Fire.

Meanwhile, crews were mopping up a 189-acre fire that started Friday in Simi Valley, northwest of Los Angeles. “Especially on the southern part of Chelan”. Then with a strong wind change in the afternoon, the fire hooked east into South Chelan and across the Columbia River into Douglas County.

The air was clouded with smoke in Spokane, about 150 miles east of the Chelan fire, on Monday. One fire, north of Craig, was estimated at 450 acres. About 300 fire personnel are trying to bring it under control.

Just after 5 p.m. (8 p.m. ET), a person of interest was detained in connection with the fire, said Dan Amador, deputy chief of the Montebello Fire Department.

In Oregon, the County Line 2 fire was burning 36,154 acres near Madras. We’re picking up spot fires from lightning.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

Dozens of homes, vacation cabins and other structures have burned, and authorities said the actual toll is likely to climb as crews continued to assess the damage in coming days.

A Level 2 evacuation notice has been sent to residents along Forest Service Road 77 near Tamarack Camp Ground, Bennett Peak and Main Eagle areas associated with the Eagle Complex. It should be open by 4:30 p.m. Friday.