Wildfires continued across the drought-plagued West on Saturday, leading residents to flee their homes and authorities to scramble for resources to beat back the flames.
Blazes in north-central Washington that killed three firefighters and injured four others continued to explode in size, while other fires charged toward populated areas in several states.
A look at large wildfires burning around the West:
Washington: Massive wildfires expanding across north-central Washington continued to grow. The Okanogan Complex of wildfires was measured at 355 square miles Saturday, about 100 miles larger than Friday, fire spokesman Rick Isaacson said.
But the flames were moving away from population centers in Okanogan County, which by land area is the largest in Washington.
Thousands of people in the county remained under evacuation orders of various levels after strong winds drove flames across parched ground earlier this week.
Brad Craig of Omak was told to evacuate on Wednesday, but he kept coming back to check on his home. “I was coming over several times a day to check on it,” Craig said.
On Saturday, he found flames perhaps 30 yards from his back deck. With the help of firefighters, he beat back the flames and was confident he had saved his house.
“I’m feeling a whole lot better than I was three hours ago,” Craig said.
Sheriff Frank Rogers said it was too early to say how many homes had burned in the county of 5,300 square miles. The official tally of three homes and 33 other structures lost was very preliminary, he said.
“That’ll take weeks,” Rogers said. “I know we are going to have quite a few.”
These fires are burning only one or a handful of homes at a time, not entire neighborhoods, Rogers said. “It’s not 45 or 50 in one spot,” he said.
Resources were so strained that on Saturday fire officials began providing basic fire training to volunteers who have machinery such as backhoes and bulldozers so they can help dig fire lines.
Three firefighters were killed and four injured when flames overtook them Wednesday while they were battling the Okanogan Complex. Another firefighter remains in critical condition at Harborview with burns over 60 percent of his body.
Officials have said the injured firefighters were trying to escape the flames on foot.
Meanwhile, a second of the four injured firefighters was transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, the Northwest’s major burn center. The firefighter was transferred Friday night and was listed in satisfactory condition Saturday, Harborview spokeswoman Susan Gregg said.
Gregg did not release the firefighter’s identity or the extent of his injuries, but she said he was a 47-year-old man from the Okanogan area.
He is an employee of the state Department of Natural Resources, agency spokesman Bob Redling said. He was initially treated and released from a hospital in Okanogan, and then asked to go to Harborview, Redling said.
Three firefighters — Tom Zbyszewski, Richard Wheeler and Andrew Zajac — died Wednesday when flames consumed their crashed vehicle as they tried to escape the fire.
On Saturday, winds that blew at 35 mph or more earlier in the week let up. “The winds have died down,” said Angela Seydel, spokeswoman for Okanogan County Emergency Management.
Flames on Saturday were moving away from population centers in the county of 41,000 people, Rogers said. “Things are pretty good,” he said.
About 50 volunteers showed up at Omak City Hall on Saturday morning to receive training so they can help with the firefighting effort. Most were ranchers or loggers who had their own heavy equipment.
Idaho: Evacuations have been ordered in northern Idaho as a group of wildfires that has already destroyed 42 homes threatened more residences Friday. Nearly 800 firefighters were trying to beat back the flames.
Idaho had 17 large fires — the most in the nation.
Fire managers told residents near the town of Weippe to flee the fires that have scorched 63 square miles of mostly timber.
Oregon: Gov. Kate Brown is activating an additional 250 Oregon National Guard members to help fight destructive wildfires raging across the state.
Brown’s decision on Saturday comes days after she activated an initial 125 guard members, who began training in Salem on Saturday and were scheduled to be dispatched on Wednesday to the front lines.
The governor’s office says the next group will begin training next week.
Strong winds carried smoke from the blazes in eastern Oregon and Washington across the Cascade mountain range Saturday, prompting air-quality alerts and an influx of 911 calls across the Willamette Valley.
With the smoke now affecting the most populated areas of the state, health officials are warning people to be take precautions. They recommend limiting time outdoors and avoiding strenuous activity.
California: More than 12,000 firefighters are battling 17 wildfires across California.
A fire that has burned for nearly three weeks on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada grew to 73 square miles near Kings Canyon National Park and was bearing down on popular Hume Lake.
The blaze on Friday burned down Kings Canyon lodge that had been evacuated earlier in the week, the first structure it had claimed since lightning sparked it three weeks ago. Pieces of foundation, charred metal pipes and a burned-out truck were all that remained. No injuries were reported.
More than 2,500 campers, hikers, employees and residents have been evacuated this week.
Montana: Residents and firefighters alike are welcoming much improved weather conditions that have calmed wildfires burning in western Montana.
However, firefighters cautioned that conditions were expected to become more favorable for active fire early in the coming week.
A fire burning on Glacier National Park’s southern boundary near the town of Essex stayed relatively in check despite strong winds Friday.
The fire is located in the Great Bear Wilderness about 2 1/2 miles south of Essex, where about 100 area residents have been told to be prepared to evacuate.
U.S. Highway 2 was reopened to traffic with pilot car escorts.
Colorado: Forecasters say a grey haze from western wildfires is expected to continue over parts of Colorado this weekend.
The fire danger is high in the northern area of Colorado because of gusty winds, low humidity and dry vegetation.
