Evacuation notices issued in towns of Liberty, Sisters

Kittitas County authorities ordered evacuations for residents in the town of Liberty and some forest areas as wildfires in the Table Mountain area merged and grew to nearly 4 square miles.

Fire officials also gave evacuation notices for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest east of State Highway 97 and the Naneum State Forest on Saturday. Natural Resources Department officials had ordered the state forest closed earlier in the day to help firefighters.

The wildfire complex is among several large fires burning across Washington. Just a day earlier, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed an emergency declaration for all counties east of the Cascade Mountains.

More than 100 fires are burning in Kittitas and Yakima counties after lightning strikes last week.

In the Sisters, Ore., area, authorities have warned residents to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice because of a nearby wildfire.

Officials issued the pre-evacuation notice on Saturday and also closed a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail for the safety of firefighters and hikers.

Higher temperatures and lower humidity helped the fire cross a containment line on Friday and more than double in size by Saturday evening to 23 square miles.

The blaze is burning about six miles southwest of Sisters and was 10 percent contained. Firefighters worked Saturday on a containment line on the northern edge to stop the fire from moving closer to Sisters.