Central Washington wildfires growing

Jul 29, 2013, 8:53 AM | Updated: May 13, 2016, 10:59 pm

Highway 97 has been closed for a wildfire burning near Goldendale. (Image courtesy WSDOT)

(Image courtesy WSDOT)

The Washington State Department of Transportation says this is a good example of why HWY 97 is closed.

Most of Highway 97 between Goldendale and Toppenish remains closed.

Spokeswoman Lauren Durocher of the interagency fire management team says the fire has grown in part from Saturday's estimate of 14 square miles because of more accurate mapping.

A wildfire burning near Goldendale has grown to nearly 27 square miles.

A large plume of smoke is seen rising high into the sky causing poor visibility.

Smoke is seen rising out of the trees in a forest along US 97.

The fire is causing thick, dark smoke to rise in the air creating breathing hazards and poor visibility.

The fire and smoke are causing poor visibility in Yakima County.

The fire is dangerously close to the highway along several parts of US 97.

US 97 remains closed due to the close proximity of the fire and smoke to the highway.

You can see the contrast of the blue summer sky and the thick, dark smoke rising in the air.

This is why US 97 remains closed. Fire too close to the highway, encroaching on guardrail and creating poor visibility.

Flames engulf a tree as the wildfire continues to burn.

Smoke makes for poor visibility for this helicopter trying to douse the fire.

Those aren't tree snags you see. That's crispy-fried guardrail.

As the size of the fire grows, visibility is reduced on US 97.

Fire, smoke and unfavorable weather conditions are the reasons why [WSDOT has] to keep US 97 closed.

Despite the beautiful coloration, the smoke from the wildfire is detrimental to the environment.

A smoke plume rises from the hillside on Friday, July 26. As seen from just outside of the Yakama Indian Reservation.

BY KIRO RADIO STAFF

MyNorthwest.com

A wildfire burning near Goldendale has grown to nearly 27 square miles, and another fire is threatening homes in Wenatchee.

Spokeswoman Lauren Durocher of the interagency fire management team says the Goldendale fire has grown in part from Saturday’s estimate of 14 square miles because of more accurate mapping.

The fire along the top of Satus Pass is threatening about 144 structures, including about 69 residences. That number was also updated on Sunday. No structures have been destroyed but all have been evacuated.

The fire was about 15 percent contained on Sunday and about 1,100 people are working on the blaze.

Most of Highway 97 between Goldendale and Toppenish remains closed.

“We anticipate that that will probably be in effect for another several days,” says Randy Shepard with the Washington Incident Management Team.

Meanwhile, a brush fire burning south of Wenatchee has grown to more than 3 square miles.

The fire burning at the Colockum Pass area has not burned any more structures since two destroyed on Saturday, but fire officials say about 40 homes and cabins are threatened.

Rick Isaacson, with the Department of Natural Resources, says the Wenatchee blaze is nowhere near under control.

“It’s a very big fire. It’s a very fast moving fire,” says Isaacson. “We don’t have any containment numbers at all.”

Two minor injuries have been reported to firefighters on that fire.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MyNorthwest News