Wildfires in central Washington force evacuations

WATERVILLE, Wash. — Officials in central Washington are encouraging about 100 people to leave their homes in the path of a fast-growing wildfire. The Douglas County sheriff’s office issued evacuation notices this morning for people living in the Palisades and Rimrock neighborhoods of Waterville, northeast of Wenatchee. About 300 structures are threatened, but not all are homes. Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal told KING-TV that those in the area should not wait for an evacuation notice, however, and move their family to safety if they see the fire getting closer. The Douglas County complex of fires, which started Friday evening from lightning strikes, have grown to cover about 30 square miles, fire officials said. No structures have been destroyed. The fires are burning across brush and grass. The bigger fire —the one threatening homes — is about 10 miles southeast of Waterville. The other is 17 miles northeast of Waterville near Jamieson Lake. About 300 people from multiple local and state agencies are fighting the Douglas County fires, aircraft and other firefighting equipment. The level of fire danger in many areas of Washington state remains very high or extreme.