A Washington state wildfire propelled by hot, dry conditions spread by six square miles over 24 hours into Saturday, but firefighters were making progress on containment, officials said Saturday. The fire near the town of Entiat, in the middle of the state, ignited Tuesday and by Saturday has grown to 34 square miles, according to a statement from a Washington incident management team.
More than 760 personnel fighting the blaze were able to contain 22 percent of the fire by Saturday afternoon, the statement said, but low humidity and above-average temperatures were making efforts difficult. Temperatures in Entiat would breach 100 degrees on Saturday and reach 106 degrees by Sunday, according to Weather.com. Residents of several dozen homes were forced to evacuate, while occupants of more than 80 structures were encouraged to leave or be ready to flee at a moment's notice.
IN-DEPTH
Wildfire Burns Through 28 Square Miles In Washington State