Hundreds Asked to Evacuate as Wash. Wildfires Grow

More fires have flared in the Northwest but Washington state has been hit the hardest, with nearly 150,000 acres torched.

The biggest complex of fires in Washington is the Wenatchee complex northeast of Leavenworth, ignited by lightning storms that hammered the state on Saturday. Those blazes scorched another 16,000 acres in the past 24 hours as flames swept through timbered areas. Officials have asked 191 households to evacuate and told residents in another 334 that they may have to leave immediately, said Connie Mehmel, spokeswoman for the fire management team. Another 209 households have been told to prepare to evacuate.

Mehmel advised homeowners to put up signage around their houses, pointing to where the water supply is, for example, and indicating hidden driveways to make it easier for firefighters to protect structures.

The fires have created hazardous breathing conditions, with residents calling the fire camp, concerned about new fires in their region.

"It's nasty," Mehmel said. "There's a lot of smoke in the valleys. People are calling saying there's fires and that they can't see."

People with respiratory and heart problems should stay indoors and by all means avoid strenuous activity outside. Schools are open but children are not allowed outside for recess and some sports activities are being moved to places not affected by the smoke.

In Oregon, the Pole Creek fire southwest of Sisters grew nearly 270 acres in the past 24 hours, covering nearly 4,600 acres. That fire, reported Sunday, has also created smoky conditions, with the Department of Environmental Quality advising residents to stay inside if it's too smoky in their areas. The blaze is only 5 percent contained, with flames torching trees and making short runs. The cause is under investigation.

Copyright 2012 - The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service