Wildfire burns more than 23,000 acres in Washington State

Wildfire Burns more than 23,000 acres in Washington State http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-from-Washington-State/449889605042751

Summary: The Taylor Bridge wildfire which began on Monday near the small town of Cle Elum, Washington, has destroyed more than 23,000 acres, injured 2 firefighters, damaged more than 60 homes and forced over 400 people to evacuate. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-from-Washington-State/449889605042751

(August 17, 2012) –An out of control wildfire that began on Monday, August 13, continues to cause damage in Kittitas County, Washington State. So far the Taylor Bridge Fire has destroyed more than 22,000 acres, burned at least 60 homes, killed cattle and other livestock, and forced the evacuation of more than 400 people near Cle Elum and Ellensburg.

Two firefighters battling the large blaze have also been injured, with one suffering from dehydration and the other receiving burns to the face. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-from-Washington-State/449889605042751

Currently nearly 900 firefighters and support staff are assigned to the Taylor Bridge fire, and have managed to get it about 33 percent contained. As a result, some area residents to the south and east side of the 35–square–mile burn zone have been told they could return home but are advised to be prepared to leave again should conditions change. Returning residents should be aware that major roads in the affected area remain closed including U.S. Highway 97 at the state Route 970/Lauderdale junction, Highway 97 at Ellensburg Ranches Road, and state Route 10 at the Highway 97 junction, as well as several local roads. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-from-Washington-State/449889605042751

Fire officials emphasize that residents who enter the burned area should use extreme caution. Power lines may have been damaged in the fire and have become energized, making them extremely dangerous. Returning residents who do not have electricity at their home should immediately report the outage to either Puget Sound Energy at 1-888-225-5773 or Kittitas County Public Utilities #1 at (509) 933-7200 as appropriate. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-from-Washington-State/449889605042751

While the cause of the blaze has not yet been determined, officials believe that welding sparks from construction on the Taylor Bridge and Highway 10 may have caused the fire. The situation is particularly dangerous because Washington has had minimal fire activity the last few years, which means that there is an abundance of dry vegetation in the forests and meadows. Dry grasses to the north and east act instant tinder for the fire, magnifying the danger to firefighters. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-from-Washington-State/449889605042751

Adding to the seriousness of the situation, the National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a Red Flag Warning for continued very hot, dry and unstable conditions over the next two days in the region of the fire.

Temperatures are expected to reach 90 to 100 degrees, resulting in an increase in fire activity and a significant threat to structures in the area.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-from-Washington-State/449889605042751

The latest news and status updates about the Taylor Bridge Fire can be found at http://access.wa.gov/ In addition to the official Washington State site, a number of other websites are helping spread awareness of the dangerous Washington wildfire both nationally and abroad. Among these is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-from-WashingtonState/449889605042751, a Facebook fanpage that offers an online community where people can share their thoughts and comments about the latest Washington State news and events. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-from-Washington-State/449889605042751

"We feel it is very important to get the news out about this serious situation which is affecting so many people in central Washington," notes page administrator S.S. Ober-Lehn. "And Facebook's international appeal makes the Proud to Be From Washington State fanpage a natural place for anyone anywhere in the world who is concerned about the Taylor Bridge Fire in Washington State to come together to discuss how we can best help those whose lives have been disrupted by this disaster." http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-from-Washington-State/449889605042751

To find out more about current news and events in Washington, please visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-fromWashington-State/449889605042751 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proud-to-be-from-Washington-State/449889605042751