WENATCHEE, Wash. — From just across the Wenatchee River, Dominick Bonny watched a whole neighborhood burn as a wildfire destroyed two dozen structures and forced hundreds to flee.
“With the wind blowing away from us, it was like we were watching a natural disaster within arm’s reach,” he said.
The wildfires hit parts of central and eastern Washington over the weekend as the state is struggling with a severe drought. Mountain snowpack is at extremely low levels, and about one-fifth of the state’s rivers and streams are at record low levels.
Eastern Washington has been experiencing temperatures in the 100s, and last week Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued an emergency proclamation that allows state resources to quickly be brought in to respond to wildfires.
Washington’s struggles with wildfires come as Alaska, its fellow Pacific Northwest state, is facing more and harsher wildfires this year.
In Wenatchee, the wildfire fueled by high temperatures and strong winds roared into town Sunday afternoon. The blaze ignited in brush just outside Wenatchee, quickly burning out of control and leading businesses about 120 miles east of Seattle to evacuate customers.
Rainfall on Monday provided relief, but hot, dry conditions will challenge crews trying to get a handle on the flames that burned more than an estimated 4 square miles, officials said. Three firefighters suffered minor injuries.
Evacuations were mainly in the north end of town and included a Walmart store, the Chelan County Emergency Management office said. State Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark has banned all outdoor fires on state land protected by the Natural Resources department, and campfires have been banned at state parks and on state-controlled ocean beaches.
