Wildfire near Leavenworth, Washington, Forces Evacuations

Evacuation orders are still in effect in as crews battle a wildfire north of Leavenworth, Washington.

Brendan Cowan, a spokesman for the Northwest Incident Management Team, says the blaze covered about 40 acres as of Wednesday morning.

Cowan says there’s been no injuries reported.

The fire started at about 1 p.m. Tuesday in an old mill and spread to nearby timber. Cowan says the mill is a 5-acre storage area for enormous cedar logs.

Cowan says it’s a very dense concentration of fuel and their “main challenge is how to get the fire out.”

Deputy State Fire Marshal Melissa Gannie says the fire is threatening homes, timber and electrical infrastructure.

The evacuation order impacts about 168 homes and cabins. It includes Sunitsch Canyon to Eagle Creek and all of the Spromberg Canyon area.

The Red Cross has opened a shelter in Leavenworth.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Washington