Washington is facing a serious stretch of wildfire activity, with more than 100,000 acres of land across the state now on fire. According to a map from the Western Fire Chiefs, there are more than half a dozen active fires burning at the same time, concentrated in the eastern and central parts of the state. The scale of the fires, combined with hot and dry conditions, has stretched crews and put several communities on alert.
The largest of the blazes is the Kaiser Canyon fire in Okanogan County, which has swelled to more than 62,000 acres and remains at 0% containment. Officials say the fire started on Thursday after a lightning strike, and it is now threatening the town of Nespelem as well as sacred sites on the Colville Indian Reservation. More than 400 firefighters have been sent to the area, and Level 3 evacuations remain in place.
A newer fire is adding to the strain. The Modrite fire in Ferry County has grown to more than 64,000 acres after starting on Friday, and it too was caused by lightning. The fire is completely uncontained, and Level 3 go-now evacuation orders have been issued for Wilmont Creek Road between Kiwa Road and Rogers Bar, meaning residents in that area have been told to leave immediately.
In the southeastern part of the state, the Lions Ferry fire has expanded to more than 34,000 acres in Franklin County. There, the situation has eased somewhat, and evacuation orders have been reduced to Level 1. Two people were injured by the flames, but fire officials say both were treated and released. According to authorities, the cause of the Lions Ferry fire was natural.
While the fires themselves are burning in the east and center of the state, western Washington is dealing with the fallout in the form of heat and smoke. Temperatures are expected to reach the 90s in some parts of the Puget Sound region this week. People living in the Cascades area are already facing smoke drifting in from fires in eastern Washington and Oregon, and that smoke is now working its way toward the Sound as well.
Officials are urging residents to take the air quality seriously. They advise people to stay indoors as much as possible and to look out for those who are most vulnerable, including older residents and younger children. Forecasters expect the smoke to linger through Wednesday, with the possibility of somewhat cleaner air arriving later that day, though they caution it is hard to know for sure as clean and smoky air compete.
For those trying to cope with the haze, the Snohomish County Health Department recommends using air filters at home to help circulate cleaner air, and suggests finding relief in public places such as libraries or cooling centers. Meteorologists say they will continue tracking the fire conditions and air quality throughout the week as the state contends with the multiple large blazes at once.