This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
A central Washington wildfire surged in size over the weekend.
As of Monday, the Sugerloaf Fire, which is burning about 25 miles northeast of Leavenworth, had torched 12,453 acres.
“We expect that to grow,” Bill Queen, spokesperson for the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (NWCC), said.
Sugarloaf Fire prompts Level 3 evacuations near Leavenworth
Queen said the wildfire was threatening 1,138 single residences, which were under varying levels of evacuation. There are Level 3 “get out now” warnings for the entire town of Ardenvoir and an area west of the Entiat River.
The fire sparked more than a week ago.
“It actually started on August 31,” Jodie Schiffman, spokesperson for NWCC, said. “There was a dry lightning storm that passed over central Washington. So this fire started by lightning.”
Mario Martinez, who manages the Cooper’s General Store and Cafe in Ardenvoir, told KIRO Newsradio last week he could tell the wildfire was growing.
“You could just see the whole sky was glowing red- when it really caught fire,” Martinez said.
The 542 personnel fighting the wildfire in the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest have faced challenges, including rough terrain and hot, dry weather.
Queen said there is rain in the forecast for Tuesday.
“Even though the weather is changing—cooler, higher humidities—the fuels are still very dry. So there’s a time lapse between when moisture might be present in the area and when those fuels will actually absorb that moisture to the point that it reduces their ability—or propensity—to burn,” Queen said.
Numerous wildfires are blazing across Washington
The Sugarloaf Fire is one of several major wildfires burning across Washington right now.
In western Washington, the Bear Gulch Fire has consumed 10,275 acres on the Olympic Peninsula. Homes near Lake Cushman have been evacuated, and some public campgrounds are closed.
The fire sparked on July 7. Investigators believe it was human-caused, but they’re not exactly sure how.
The state’s two largest wildfires are burning in eastern Washington, and they’ve also prompted evacuations.
That includes the 17,713-acre Rattlesnake Fire, which is 5% contained. It’s unclear what ignited that fire on the Colville Reservation on Sept. 1.
Further north, the Crown Creek Fire has burned 14,139 acres in Stevens County since it was sparked by lightning on Aug. 29. It is 10% contained.
Read more of Heather Bosch’s stories here.