Spokane wildfire burns 4 homes

SPOKANE -- Winds gusting to 50 mph pushed a 1,200-acre wildfire that destroyed at least four homes in a heavily wooded part of the suburban Spokane Valley Thursday evening, and residents of a wide area were told to leave their homes.

The fast-moving flames burned at least four homes, Gov. Chris Gregoire said. The heavy smoke and tree cover made it difficult to assess the damage over nearly 2 square miles.

The fire remained out of control late Thursday, preventing officials from making a good estimate of the losses, Spokane County sheriff's spokesman Dave Reagan said.

The mandatory evacuations of a wide swath of the Spokane Valley were going smoothly, Reagan said.

More than 200 people were evacuated.

Gregoire flew to Spokane and visited the fire command center late Thursday, and said she had given approval for declaration of emergency requests from Spokane and Ferry counties. That will make state resources available as needed, she said.

There are no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities, but Gregoire said the situation remained unclear.

The cause of the fire, which started Thursday afternoon, was not immediately known. Winds and temperatures were dropping Thursday night, which aided firefighters.

New wildfires were also reported burning in Ferry, Lincoln, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties in northeastern Washington. Wildfires elsewhere in Eastern Washington advanced across nearly 9 square miles.

Near Tonasket, just south of the U.S.-Canada border, firefighters on the Cayuse Fire were battling steep terrain, rattlesnakes and winds gusting to 30 mph, said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Robin DeMario.

Evacuation orders were lifted for eight homes there late Thursday, but residents of another 11 homes remained on notice they might have to flee.