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Three Firefighters Killed as Wildfires Spread through Washington State


melodymarch

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Three firefighters were killed and four others injured in central Washington Wednesday battling one of the more than 100 wildfires burning across at least 1.1 million acres in the West, authorities told NBC News.

 

The fatalities occurred when winds shifted unexpectedly near the towns of Twisp and Winthrop and turned back on crews fighting a small new fire, Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said.

 

"It was a hellstorm up here," Rogers told KXLY-TV. "The fire was racing and the winds were blowing in every direction."

 

https://twitter.com/joefryer/status/634237170337714176

 

All residents of both towns — almost 1,000 people — were ordered to evacuate immediately.

 

"We are devastated by the tragic loss of three of our Forest Service firefighters," said Mike Williams, forest supervisor on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. "Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and fellow crewmembers of these brave firefighters."

 

Gov. Jay Inslee said in a prepared statement: "They gave their lives to protect others. It was their calling, but the loss for their families is immense and I know the community will come together to support them."

twispfireimg_8121_1_ba043e0cd5e30dced7c6

Fires light up the night sky over Twisp, Washington, where three firefighters died late Wednesday. Glenn Aust / NBC

White House spokesman Eric Schultz said President Barack Obama had been briefed on the situation. "On behalf of a grateful nation, the president's thoughts and prayers are with the families of these brave Americans," he said.

 

The 50-acre fire began eight miles west of Twisp, a town of about 900 people, and quickly grew to 1,500 acres, the state Department of Natural Resources said. It's separate from the Okanogan Complex in Okanogan County, all of which was under a general evacuation advisory, with the 200 or so residents of Conconully previously ordered to leave. That fire was at almost 31,000 acres with only 20 percent containment.

 

Winds were expected to increase substantially over the next 48 hours, and Okanagon County Emergency Management officials warned residents to monitor local radio and weather reports for updates.

 

Another five-fire Washington blaze called the Chelan Complex had reached almost 70,000 acres on the eastern edge of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and was only about 50 percent contained, commanders said late Wednesday afternoon.

 

More than 70 structures have already been destroyed in the Chelan Complex, which had reached almost 70,000 acres and was only about 50 percent contained, commanders said late Wednesday afternoon.

 

 
 

 

 
Wind shifts, 3 firefighters die battling Washington blaze 2:38

Three firefighters were killed and four others injured in central Washington Wednesday battling one of the more than 100 wildfires burning across at least 1.1 million acres in the West, authorities told NBC News.

The fatalities occurred when winds shifted unexpectedly near the towns of Twisp and Winthrop and turned back on crews fighting a small new fire, Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said.

"It was a hellstorm up here," Rogers told KXLY-TV. "The fire was racing and the winds were blowing in every direction."

 

 

All residents of both towns — almost 1,000 people — were ordered to evacuate immediately.

"We are devastated by the tragic loss of three of our Forest Service firefighters," said Mike Williams, forest supervisor on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. "Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and fellow crewmembers of these brave firefighters."

Gov. Jay Inslee said in a prepared statement: "They gave their lives to protect others. It was their calling, but the loss for their families is immense and I know the community will come together to support them."

twispfireimg_8121_1_ba043e0cd5e30dced7c6

Fires light up the night sky over Twisp, Washington, where three firefighters died late Wednesday. Glenn Aust / NBC

White House spokesman Eric Schultz said President Barack Obama had been briefed on the situation. "On behalf of a grateful nation, the president's thoughts and prayers are with the families of these brave Americans," he said.

The 50-acre fire began eight miles west of Twisp, a town of about 900 people, and quickly grew to 1,500 acres, the state Department of Natural Resources said. It's separate from the Okanogan Complex in Okanogan County, all of which was under a general evacuation advisory, with the 200 or so residents of Conconully previously ordered to leave. That fire was at almost 31,000 acres with only 20 percent containment.

Winds were expected to increase substantially over the next 48 hours, and Okanagon County Emergency Management officials warned residents to monitor local radio and weather reports for updates.

 

 
Three Firefighters Killed in Washington Wildfire 2:20

Another five-fire Washington blaze called the Chelan Complex had reached almost 70,000 acres on the eastern edge of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and was only about 50 percent contained, commanders said late Wednesday afternoon.

More than 70 structures have already been destroyed in the Chelan Complex, which had reached almost 70,000 acres and was only about 50 percent contained, commanders said late Wednesday afternoon.

 

"We're really concerned about that weather," Kale Casey, a spokesman for the joint incident team at the scene, told NBC station KING of Seattle.

 

"We've had no break in the hot, dry weather," Casey said. "We're going to see probably some impressive fire behavior in the next couple days."

 

Article located here

 

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I haven't seen a lot of talk about this but Washington is also currently in a drought and it's very dangerous here! There was a previous wildfire in the end of June-early July in my area that also burned structures and homes and left people out of work. Please send happy thoughts our way! One of the firefighters was only 20 years old. On the news I believe as well active duty army members are being trained to help us.

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