Blaze has now claimed 64 structures

GOLDENDALE, Wash. – Residents in tinder-dry forests near Satus Pass got word Friday that 64 structures had burned in a major ongoing blaze, a harsh reminder Friday that the area’s wildfire season is far from over.

Hundreds of residents in the south-central part of the state have been evacuated because of the fire, which has burned more than six square miles in an area about 20 miles north of the Columbia River and 10 miles north of the city of Goldendale.

Firefighters gained some ground Friday and the fire was 20 percent contained. More accurate mapping reduced the fire’s overall size to 4,215 acres, or more than six square miles.

Though winds were light, conditions were far from ideal for firefighters on the lines, with high temperatures in the 90s, low humidity and terrain that ranged from flatlands of dry grasses to steep canyons with thick stands of ponderosa pines. Exactly how many of the 64 structures were homes remained unclear, but fire officials had earlier confirmed that nine homes had burned and that number was certain to grow, spokesman Guy Giffords said.

Many evacuated residents had been shown maps of areas that have burned, he said, and were aware whether their homes had been lost or saved.

George Dempsey, 68, was among those evacuated. He knew his home was still safe but waited for word on the fire from a Red Cross shelter at the Klickitat County Fairgrounds. Now staying in a camper van there, Dempsey has lived in the area for 10 years, and the fire marked his first in the region.

“I’m feeling confident. I’m not worried at all about my place,” he said, then smiled and held up two fingers about an inch apart. “Maybe a little bit.”

Washington is experiencing an especially late start to its fire season following a winter with heavy snows and a cool spring, but warm, dry weather is forecast to continue at least through the weekend. The National Weather Service said a high-pressure system over the Northwest should last a few days, with cooler temperatures returning later Monday.

The fire started Wednesday along U.S. Highway 97 across the street from a Greek Orthodox monastery. The 19 nuns and employees who operate a well-known bakery there saw flames and immediately ran outside with water, rakes and rags to try to beat back the fire. The buildings at the monastery were saved, fire officials said, but the fire grew quickly from there.

About 300 firefighters were fighting the blaze by Friday, but a caravan of trucks continued to pull into the fairgrounds as crews from across the region arrived, and that number was expected to double or triple by late Friday afternoon, fire spokesman Chuck Turley said.

Traffic on Highway 97 has been closed intermittently by smoke and fire. There have been no reports of any injuries.