© 2024 KLCC

KLCC
136 W 8th Ave
Eugene OR 97401
541-463-6000
klcc@klcc.org

Contact Us

FCC Applications
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Northwest Wildfire Season Heats Up

The Mills Canyon fire started near Entiat, Washington, north of Wenatchee.
InciWeb
The Mills Canyon fire started near Entiat, Washington, north of Wenatchee.

The Northwest is gearing up for a heat wave starting this weekend that could push temperatures into the triple digits in parts of the region. That could make things difficult for firefighters battling flames on the front lines.

The Mills Canyon fire started near Entiat, Washington, north of Wenatchee.
Credit InciWeb
/
InciWeb
The Mills Canyon fire started near Entiat, Washington, north of Wenatchee.

There are more large-scale wildfires burning in the Northwest than in any other part of the country right now. Most of those are in central and eastern Washington. The Mills Canyon firenorth of Wenatchee quickly grew in size since it started Tuesday. Many homes have been evacuated and more residents have been told to prepare to leave.

The high heat and smoky conditions have prompted organizers of a nearby Native-American cultural festival to postpone their event until the fall.

Debbie Gallaher of the Chelan County PUD said, "We were so excited. We were ready to go. We had all of our presenters and then boom, we have a fire."

Cities across the region are opening cooling centers so people without air conditioning can catch a break from the heat. The hottest temperatures are expected in the Northwest interior east of the Cascade Range.

Copyright 2014 Northwest News Network

Chris Lehman graduated from Temple University with a journalism degree in 1997. He landed his first job less than a month later, producing arts stories for Red River Public Radio in Shreveport, Louisiana. Three years later he headed north to DeKalb, Illinois, where he worked as a reporter and announcer for NPR–affiliate WNIJ–FM. In 2006 he headed west to become the Salem Correspondent for the Northwest News Network.