New fire burning near Winthrop

WINTHROP, Wash. — A new fire is burning near this Methow Valley community, prompting evacuation orders as at least one structure already has been destroyed. Sparks from a flat tire on a trailer may be to blame for the blaze, authorities said. According to the state Department of Natural Resources, at least one structure has burned and more are threatened. About 30 homes in the Twin Lakes housing development near Winthrop are being evacuated. The fire, about two miles from Winthrop, was started when a spark from the wheel or rim of a flat tire ignited dry grass alongside the road, officials told Washington Gov. Jay Inslee today. Residents of Winthrop have been advised they also may have to evacuate, too. Inslee was already in the Methow Valley to review progress in fighting the devastating Carlton Complex fires that burned thousands of acres in recent weeks. The new fire is not contained, Winthrop officials told Inslee.