A Washington wildfire that sparked Sunday afternoon is continuing to sweep through areas within the state.
The fire has burned through 3,000 acres of land and damaged more than
24 buildings as of Monday, NBC News reported. The blaze began in brush in Wentachee, Washington, around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, only 140 miles away from Seattle. Officials are still working to determine the precise cause of the fire.
High temperatures, in addition to dry and windy weather conditions, continue to exacerbate the impact of the wildfire. The flames have forced hundreds of residents to flee their
homes and even a Walmart store, The Associated Press reported. More than 150 people have gone to the Red Cross Shelter in Wenatchee while others have sought refuge in Eastmont High School in East Wenatchee, which officials dubbed a
regional evacuation center, according to the Seattle Times.
Authorities had hoped the fire would burn out by Monday but not even light rain could hinder the blaze.
“We know the fire has grown overnight and we lost several more structures," Darren Wright, a state patrol trooper, told the AP. He also assured the wire service that there have been no immediate injury reports.
The fire has shut down railroad traffic in the central Washington area although trains continue to help hundreds of firefighters extinguish the flames by shooting water from tank cars on the tracks and by providing water to some firetrucks. Still, the railroad tracks have endured damage as a result of the fire.
The wildfire does not come as a surprise. Last week, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee warned citizens about the great fire risks created by high temperatures.
In his warning, Inslee asked residents to skip fireworks for their Fourth of July celebrations.
“Fireworks, while often part of our Fourth of July celebration, pose an increased risk with the extremely dry conditions we’re experiencing this year,” Inslee said. “The fire danger now is unlike any we’ve seen in a long time, if ever."
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