A destructive wildfire stoked by strong winds and high temperatures chased residents from a neighborhood in Washington state. while rain in Alaska and high humidity flowing into California suppressed fire activity in those states.
Here’s a look at hotspots around the West:
• WASHINGTON
Residents of several hundred homes fled when a blaze erupted Sunday outside Wenatchee and spread out of control in hot and windy weather, destroying 24 structures, including houses.
“There was fire in so many places,” said Albert Rookard, who lives across the Wenatchee River from the fire.
There were no immediate reports of injuries as the blaze burned more than 4 square miles about 120 miles east of Seattle. Railroad traffic through the area was shut down.
However, the railroad helped battle the blaze by spraying water from tank cars and transferring water to fire-fighting trucks.
Eastern Washington has been experiencing temperatures in the 100s. Last week, Gov. Jay Inslee issued an emergency proclamation that allows the quick use of state resources to respond to wildfires.
• ALASKA
The state had 612 wildfires on Monday, but only two new ones that broke out a day earlier.
Weekend rains brought relief to fire crews, and there were no new evacuations. Conditions were expected to heat up later in the week.
• SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
A 48-square-mile forest fire that has burned for nearly two weeks in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles was showing little activity as monsoonal moisture flowed through the region.
The U.S. Forest Service said, however, that heat remained along most of the perimeter and pockets of unburned fuel continued to erupt.
The monsoonal trend was predicted to continue for several days. More than 2,200 firefighters were on the lines.
The fire has destroyed only one residence and three other buildings. Firefighting costs topped $30 million.
• NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
The flow of humid, unstable air unleashed hundreds of lightning bolts that ignited three dozen wildfires that were kept small by an aggressive deployment of firefighters.
Progress was also being made on fires that were previously burning.
A 28-square-mile blaze south of Markleeville in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest was 45 percent contained, while a 500-acre blaze in Madera County was fully surrounded.
