PORTLAND — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is scheduled to participate in a Friday briefing on wildfires burning across the West. Crews in Washington continued to battle the largest blaze in state history, while there were evacuations in Idaho and Montana and a new fire on Kodiak Island in Alaska.
A loot at fire activity in the West:
WASHINGTON
The largest wildfire ever recorded in Washington state history had grown by more than 22 square miles Friday and firefighters were worried about high winds predicted for the weekend.
The Okanogan fires had burned 472 square miles. It was only 12 percent contained after windy conditions Thursday.
Officials say the fire had destroyed at least 45 primary residences, 49 cabins and 60 outbuildings. Three firefighters have died battling the fire. A memorial service was planned Sunday in Wenatchee.
Fire spokeswoman Sierra Hellstrom said temperatures were lower and humidity higher on Friday — conditions expected to slow the fire.
However, lightning and high winds predicted for the weekend could spread the flames, she said.
The fire was just five miles from merging with a 281-square-mile wildfire north of Nespelem, Hellstrom said.
Meanwhile, a wildfire burning in Stevens County north of Spokane grew almost 15 square miles overnight after jumping a containment line and stood at 87 square miles. That fire was about 25 percent contained.
“The winds, terrain and vegetation have created the potential for large growth,” fire officials said in a press release.
With wind gusts expected to reach 20 mph, firefighters were concerned the blaze could threaten homes.
Meanwhile, high fire danger prompted the U.S. Forest Service to close an area north of Highway 2 that includes a major portion of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest from f the Columbia River to the crest of the Cascade Range.
All the fires burning in Eastern Washington were hurting air quality. Readings were hazardous in Republic, Omak and Nespelem, and unhealthy in Colville, Wellpinit and Davenport.
ALASKA
A fast-moving wildfire has burned a library and several homes in a small, rural Kodiak Island community.
The fire erupted Thursday night in Chiniak, which is located about 10 miles southeast of the city of Kodiak. It is uncontrolled and has burned more than 2,000 acres.
Kodiak Police Chief Rhonda Wallace said early Friday that people were being urged to evacuate and about 100 had checked in with the department. Two people are staying at a shelter at the Kodiak Middle School.
It’s not certain how the fire began. It’s burning in an area thick with trees and crews are expecting wind gusts of up to 45 mph Friday.
IDAHO
People in west-central Idaho near Riggins have been told to evacuate due to a wildfire that expanded to 40 square miles. Nearly 600 firefighters were working to protect structures along U.S. Highway 95 and the Salmon River.
MONTANA
Fire officials say residents of the Essex area in northwestern Montana could be out of their homes for up to a week, depending on the behavior of a fire that has closed within a half mile of the town on the southern edge of Glacier National Park.
The Flathead Beacon reports about 30 people attended a community meeting Thursday evening, just hours after they were evacuated.
Incident commander Mike Goicoechea told residents the fire was about 120 yards from BNSF Railway’s main line. The rail line and a section of U.S. Highway 2 were closed shortly after the evacuation was announced. The Izaak Walton Inn evacuated its guests and employees.
