Washington town evacuates due to growing wildfire

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Authorities in Washington state have evacuated an entire town in the eastern part of the state due to a growing wildfire threatening homes.

Washington Department of Natural Resources officials said Thursday they expect the fire to pass through the town of Lind, Washington prompting an evacuation of the whole town, according to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.

A Washington State Patrol spokesperson said on Twitter at about 1 p.m. that westbound State Route 21 at State Route 395 was closed in that area for wildfire activity.

At about 1:30 p.m. Thursday the Adams County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook that about 10 homes in Lind had burned.

"At this time all residents of the town of Lind need to evacuate immediately," the sheriff’s office said in the post.

The town of Lind is inhabited by about 529 people according to 2020 census data.

WASHINGTON FIRE BURNS STRUCTURES IN SPOKANE

This photo provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation shows smoke from a wildfire burning on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. Sheriff's officials are telling residents in the town of Lind in eastern Washington to evacuate because of a growing wildfire south of town that was burning homes.  (Washington State Department of Transportation via AP)

The new blaze was one of several that began burning this week around Washington.

Another fire southwest of Spokane that started Wednesday burned at least two structures and authorities there were telling people in dozens of homes to evacuate. The state Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that the Williams Lake Fire had grown to 5 square miles and was less than 10% contained.

This photo provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation shows smoke from a wildfire burning Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. Sheriff's officials are telling residents in the town of Lind in eastern Washington to evacuate because of a growing wildfire south of town that was burning homes. (Washington State Department of Transportation via AP)

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Spokane County Fire District #3 Chief Cody Rorbach said two structures were destroyed. It wasn’t immediately known if those were primary residences, or actively in use. Williams Lake is about 32 miles south of Spokane.

The Cow Canyon Fire about 12 miles southwest of Ellensburg was also threatening structures and prompting mandatory evacuations.

This photo provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation shows smoke from a wildfire burning on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. Sheriff's officials are telling residents in the town of Lind in eastern Washington to evacuate because of a growing wildfire south of town that was burning homes.  (Washington State Department of Transportation via AP)

That blaze prompted emergency evacuation notices for about 50 homes or structures 10 miles north of Naches, The Seattle Times reported. The fire had grown to 8.75 square miles by Thursday morning.

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Associated Press contributed to this report.