Washington wildfires causing breathing problems
Sep 17, 2012, 5:11 AM | Updated: 6:30 am
The sun and nearby clouds of smoke turn a brilliant red where a wildfire burns near Wenatchee, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Some smoke from the Central Washington wildfires has made its way to the Puget Sound area, causing problems for those with asthma.
It’s much worse for people on the other side of the mountains, where 34,000 acres are burning.
Residents of the Wenatchee Valley are being told to wear masks as they face another day of thick smoke. Fire Spokeswoman Elizabeth Shepard says the forecast for Monday won’t help.
“We’re going to get kind of a smoke dome over the Wenatchee Valley as this high pressure moves in and it just sits there and it is dangerous for livestock, the elderly, for young people.”
Around 3,500 Washington and Oregon crews are fighting five large fires in Washington state. U.S. officials are also talking to Canada about sending more firefighters.
The largest wildfire in Washington state is a complex of fires burning about 51 square miles in the Wenatchee area. The Wenatchee complex has forced hundreds of people out of their homes.
A majority of the 700 homes were under an evacuation order Sunday because they were in imminent danger, Connolly said.
Evacuations were also ordered near two other fires: the Yakima complex burning on about 6,000 acres and the Okanogan complex, which is burning on north of Wenatchee on nearly 4,000 acres.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
