A rapidly growing wildfire in Washington state was burning through nearly 30 square miles on Friday, forcing evacuations of more than 40 structures, according to officials. The fire, which ignited on Tuesday about 100 miles east of Seattle in Entiat, tripled in size throughout the day Thursday, according to NBC-affiliated KING5. An additional 122 structures are placed under Level 2 evacuation orders, meaning occupants should be ready to leave at a moment's notice. On Friday morning, the fire was only 19 percent contained, KING5 reported.
At least 650 personnel were struggling to battle dry conditions fueling the fire with dead grass, brush and timber, according to officials. Temperatures in Entiat could reach 100 degrees on Friday and could rise to 106 degrees over the weekend, according to Weather.com. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued an excessive heat watch for another part of the state, closer to Seattle, where 25 structures and a campground were under evacuation orders Friday due to a separate wildfire.