Homes, businesses destroyed in raging Wenatchee wildfires
WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON
A wildfire fueled
by high temperatures and strong winds roared into a Wenatchee-area
neighborhood and commercial district, forcing more than a thousand
people to flee, destroying at least 24 homes and gutting two wholesale
businesses, authorities said early Monday.
The 3,000-acre blaze sparked Sunday afternoon was destroying everything in its path and was still burning out of control the next morning, said Rich Magnussen, a spokesman for the Chelan County Emergency Management office.
"We've got hundreds of homes under evacuation notices," he said.
In addition, the fire gutted the Northwest Wholesale fruit packing company, the Blue Bird Inc. wholesale fruit plant and came near to several neighboring businesses.
The Sleepy Hollow Fire began Sunday afternoon northwest of Wenatchee and then swept down a hillside into a commercial district and housing development.
"The fire started right down by us," said Randy Dawson. "We called it in, and it went straight up the hill right behind our house."
Steep hillsides and stiff winds drove flames toward Wenatchee faster than emergency crews could move as temperatures reached 104 degrees during the peak of the afternoon. Walls of fire and choking black smoke swallowed up homes along the slopes, and even two helicopters fighting the fire with water from a nearby river couldn't contain the destruction.
More than 1,000 residents have been told to leave their homes for safety, and firefighters are going door-to-door making sure those in imminent danger get out.
Albert Rookard, who lives across the Wenatchee River from the blaze, said he stayed up late watching the fire, shocked at how fast it grew.
"From here, we could see embers just flying," Rookard said. "There was fire in so many places. We could see emergency vehicles flashing across town."
Evacuations were mainly in the north end of town and included a Walmart store, the emergency management office said. The store did not burn, but several commercial buildings were near the blaze, Wright said.
There have been no immediate reports of injuries.
Dominick Bonny, who lives just outside Wenatchee, called the speed of the blaze "just mind-blowing."
Fire officials said there appeared to be two separate fires - one in the residential area and another in the commercial area. It's not immediately clear if they're connected. A large swath of Wenatchee-area suburbs lie between the two.
Railroad traffic in the area has been shut down, including freight lines and Amtrak's daily Chicago to Seattle route, BNSF Railway spokesman Gus Melonas said.
Officials know the fire started in brush on the edge of town but they are still trying to determine what sparked it. Sweltering heat above 100 degrees, tinder-dry brush and strong winds helped fuel it.
There is still no word on what started the fire, or when crews might get the upper hand. The fire's size was estimated at 3,000 acres as of Monday morning.
Hundreds of firefighters were on the scene and more are headed there.
The Red Cross opened an emergency shelter at Eastmont High School in Wenatchee for people who had evacuated the area. More than 100 people were staying there Sunday night.
Those needing to evacuate animals can bring them to the Chelan County Fairgrounds and Waterville Fairgrounds, Magnussen said.
The 3,000-acre blaze sparked Sunday afternoon was destroying everything in its path and was still burning out of control the next morning, said Rich Magnussen, a spokesman for the Chelan County Emergency Management office.
"We've got hundreds of homes under evacuation notices," he said.
In addition, the fire gutted the Northwest Wholesale fruit packing company, the Blue Bird Inc. wholesale fruit plant and came near to several neighboring businesses.
The Sleepy Hollow Fire began Sunday afternoon northwest of Wenatchee and then swept down a hillside into a commercial district and housing development.
"The fire started right down by us," said Randy Dawson. "We called it in, and it went straight up the hill right behind our house."
Steep hillsides and stiff winds drove flames toward Wenatchee faster than emergency crews could move as temperatures reached 104 degrees during the peak of the afternoon. Walls of fire and choking black smoke swallowed up homes along the slopes, and even two helicopters fighting the fire with water from a nearby river couldn't contain the destruction.
More than 1,000 residents have been told to leave their homes for safety, and firefighters are going door-to-door making sure those in imminent danger get out.
Albert Rookard, who lives across the Wenatchee River from the blaze, said he stayed up late watching the fire, shocked at how fast it grew.
"From here, we could see embers just flying," Rookard said. "There was fire in so many places. We could see emergency vehicles flashing across town."
Evacuations were mainly in the north end of town and included a Walmart store, the emergency management office said. The store did not burn, but several commercial buildings were near the blaze, Wright said.
There have been no immediate reports of injuries.
Dominick Bonny, who lives just outside Wenatchee, called the speed of the blaze "just mind-blowing."
Fire officials said there appeared to be two separate fires - one in the residential area and another in the commercial area. It's not immediately clear if they're connected. A large swath of Wenatchee-area suburbs lie between the two.
Railroad traffic in the area has been shut down, including freight lines and Amtrak's daily Chicago to Seattle route, BNSF Railway spokesman Gus Melonas said.
Officials know the fire started in brush on the edge of town but they are still trying to determine what sparked it. Sweltering heat above 100 degrees, tinder-dry brush and strong winds helped fuel it.
There is still no word on what started the fire, or when crews might get the upper hand. The fire's size was estimated at 3,000 acres as of Monday morning.
Hundreds of firefighters were on the scene and more are headed there.
The Red Cross opened an emergency shelter at Eastmont High School in Wenatchee for people who had evacuated the area. More than 100 people were staying there Sunday night.
Those needing to evacuate animals can bring them to the Chelan County Fairgrounds and Waterville Fairgrounds, Magnussen said.