Break in wind aiding fight against wildfires

Firefighters east of the Cascade Range are scrambling to fires sparked by a weekend lightning storm. They were aided by diminishing winds late Monday.

“We don’t have excellent firefighting weather in the forecast but the winds have calmed down, so that should actually make it somewhat easier than yesterday and once we get more resources, we should be able to contain the fire,” said fire spokeswoman Connie Mehmel.

Rain that fell in the Seattle area after a 48-day dry stretch didn’t make it over the Cascades.

“We have no precipitation in the forecast at least through Wednesday,” said Mehmel. “We won’t be helped out by any additional precip.”

Many Wenatchee residents are worried about their homes. About 180 homes were evacuated Sunday. Some residents were allowed to return, while others were told to leave Monday, police Sgt. John Kruse said.

Crews arrived from across the state to help fight several fires in the region. Shannon Grosdidier and her four daughters delivered oatmeal cookies to the firefighters on her street.

“The wind has died down, which is good,” she said. “But I’ve got the photo albums in the car and our overnight bags packed.”

Only a shed has been lost near Wenatchee, and no injuries have been reported at what appeared to be the most-threatening of the wildfires sparked Saturday by lightning in the state.

As many as 80 fires along the east slopes of the Cascades were set by lightning Saturday, the state Department of Natural Resources said. Most remained small.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.