Sunday night, a fast-moving, human-caused wildfire in Washington state prompted the evacuation of an additional 1,000 homes as the inferno spread to 400 acres.
The Clark County Regional Emergency Management Agency stated that the Nakia Creek Fire in southeast Washington broke containment lines late on Sunday due to unseasonably warm and dry conditions.
It has now increased the evacuation zone to encompass an additional 1,000 properties near Camas and Washougal, dispatching Clark County Sheriff’s deputies to each residence on Sunday to ensure that inhabitants have evacuated.
According to USA Today, the evacuation zone now includes between 35,000 and 40,000 properties as the fire continues to advance southwest.
The Red Cross rapidly established shelters at the Camas Church of the Nazarene. It is outfitted for overnight stays and pets are permitted, however the Red Cross requests that individuals provide their own kennel and pet supplies.
Monday classes have also been canceled in the region.
The smoke from the massive fire, which erupted on October 9 and was determined to be caused by humans, was visible from nearby Portland, Oregon as firefighters fought furiously to extinguish it.
Officials from the state of Washington have issued a mobilization order, allowing all firefighting agencies to contribute resources against the blaze, which was just 20 percent contained as of Sunday afternoon.
Authorities report that the fire has been difficult to combat since it is expanding over extremely steep terrain, despite the efforts of nearly 100 firefighters and water-dropping helicopters.
They claimed on Saturday that they were making “excellent progress,” despite the fact that an Air Quality Advisory remains in effect until Monday at 5:00 p.m.
The western United States continued to experience dryness and unseasonably high temperatures during the time of the fire.
On Sunday, temperatures in nearby Vancouver, Washington reached 86 degrees Fahrenheit, topping the previous record set in 1958 by four degrees.
Sunday’s temperature in Portland, Oregon surpassed the daily high of 80 degrees in 2020.
On Monday, the temperature is forecast to decrease, but by midweek, it will rise again.
In recent days, windy conditions have contributed to the fire’s progress.
“The fire is quite lively. USA Today was informed by Sharon Steriti of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources that smoky conditions are primarily spreading to the southwest.
Tomorrow, as the weather changes, we should have a better idea, but the winds are expected to be variable.