Washington Wildfire Forces 11,000 Evacuations as Governor Seeks Federal Aid
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 17
Washington Wildfire Forces 11,000 Evacuations as Governor Seeks Federal Aid
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 17
Summary
More than 11,000 people were ordered to evacuate after the Upriver Fire broke out near Spokane and raced through a densely populated area in dry, windy conditions.
At 10 p.m., the blaze had burned about 250 acres and was 10% contained, with aircraft set to resume firefighting Wednesday morning.
Winds of 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph, plus low humidity and dry fuels drove the fire's rapid spread; officials said some structures were lost but no injuries were confirmed.
Gov. Bob Ferguson requested a FEMA fire management assistance declaration as red flag warnings in parts of Washington and Oregon were lifted overnight but set to return in some areas Wednesday.