On Thursday, firefighters battled wildfires in Oregon, Washington and New Mexico that burned thousands of acres of land, destroyed homes and killed at least two people.
The so-called Darlene 3 fire broke out in central Oregon on Tuesday and burned more than 2,415 acres by Wednesday morning, prompting officials in the rural town of La Pine, population 2,500, to issue evacuation orders and warnings. , according to him Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (NICC).
As of Thursday morning, the city’s east side and surrounding areas were under a level three evacuation order, the highest level, while residents on the central and west sides were told to prepare to flee. of their homes. Authorities have contained the fire to 30% as “fire activity increased” on Wednesday.
A video posted to Facebook by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office showed huge clouds of smoke rising over several homes surrounded by dense woods. La Pine is located about 30 miles southwest of Bend, Oregon.
To the north, firefighters pushed forward against the Long Bend Fire, which broke out in central Oregon on Saturday and, as of Wednesday, burned more than 1,000 acres. according to NICC. The fire knocked out power to homes and temporarily closed a portion of Wapinitia Creek, about 100 miles southeast of Portland.
Officials contained the fire 60% and were working to secure containment lines as planes dropped water on the fire and officials warned boaters about hot ash pits, rolling rocks and other dangers. The causes of both fires are still under investigation, authorities said.
Meanwhile, authorities were working to put out fires in New Mexico and Washington.
Firefighters battle fires in New Mexico; several people are still missing
In New Mexico, firefighters gained momentum in the battle against two fires that forced thousands of people from their homes and killed at least two people.
The South Fork and Salt fires have burned 17,569 and 7,939 acres of land, respectively. They erupted on June 17, damaging more than 23,000 structures and displacing about 8,000 people.
The South Fork Fire continues to burn on Mescalero Tribe lands, U.S. Forest Service lands and areas around Ruidoso, a town located in the Sierra Blanca mountain range southeast of Albuquerque.
As of Wednesday, key roads remained closed as search and rescue teams scoured the area for eight missing people. Meanwhile, the FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of people who may have started the fires. No suspect has been identified and federal authorities did not say how the fires were started.
Washington fire destroys 17 homes as other fires break out
Washington firefighters have largely contained the so-called Slide Ranch fire that has burned more than 3,000 acres in Yakima County since the weekend.
The fire destroyed at least 17 homes and damaged at least 10 others, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (NICC). Authorities have not said exactly what started the fire, but the NICC said the cause was “human” without providing further details.
In the north, a dozen emergency crews equipped with helicopters and fire trucks battled the Pioneer Fire in rugged, mountainous terrain.
The fire has burned 4,600 acres of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest land, as well as surrounding private land. About 150 residences are “threatened” by the fire, which has so far left 20 buildings with “minor structural” damage, according to the NICC.
While firefighters cannot directly attack the fire due to the “extreme terrain,” they established containment lines to protect private homes and federal infrastructure.
Contributing: Zach Urness, Salem Statesman Journal; Aaron A. Bedoya, El Paso Times; Jeanine Santucci, KeynoteUSA
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