Earth Watch Report - Forest/Wild Fires

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01.08.2013

Forest / Wild Fire

USA

State of Washington, [Kittitas County]

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Forest / Wild Fire in USA on Thursday, 01 August, 2013 at 03:16 (03:16 AM) UTC.

Description

Authorities in central Washington ordered a new round of evacuations Wednesday near a surging wildfire, as firefighters worked to better control the blaze before thunderstorms swept through the region. The fire danger was expected to remain high in Eastern Washington through Thursday amid the threat of lightning strikes from thunderstorms and gusty winds. The Colockum Tarps Fire south of Wenatchee was burning across 93 square miles of grass, sagebrush and timber in Chelan and Kittitas counties, and winds from the east were pushing the blaze into timber to the west. The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office ordered residents of about 75 homes and cabins to evacuate Wednesday, and several recreation areas were closed, fire officials said. In addition, a horse and Bible camp with 40 horses and eight children was evacuated, the Ellensburg Daily Record reported. The fire was about a half mile from the Wild Horse Wind Farm, which was closed to the public. About 370 firefighters were working to control the blaze, which was 8 percent contained, fire officials said.

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Dozens of homes ordered evacuated as wildfires surge

By Associated Press Published: Jul 31, 2013 at 1:27 PM PDT Last Updated: Jul 31, 2013 at 11:15 PM PDT

WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) - A wildfire that has burned across 104 square miles of grass, sagebrush and timber in two central Washington counties churned to the southwest Wednesday, burning to the edge of a wind farm and forcing authorities to order a new round of evacuations.
Firefighters already faced extreme fire behavior, with dry fuels and high temperatures, and were on watch for gusty winds and the threat of lightning strikes from thunderstorms expected through Thursday.
The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office ordered residents of about 75 scattered homes and cabins to evacuate, and several recreation areas were closed.
The fast-moving Colockum Tarps Fire, which originated south of Wenatchee, burned to the north end of the Wild Horse Wind Farm, about 17 miles east of Ellensburg overlooking the Columbia River.

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