Spokane Valley fire destroys at least 13 homes, burns 1,200 acres

SPOKANE — The number of homes destroyed by a wildfire in the Spokane Valley rose to 13 as firefighters gradually moved into a heavily-wooded area that was devastated by wind-driven flames on Thursday.

The number of burned homes could rise even higher, said Bill Clifford, spokesman for the Spokane Valley Fire Department.

"As of now that's what's been confirmed," Clifford said shortly after noon.

There have been no injuries or fatalities from the Valley View Fire, which rapidly consumed 1,200 acres on Thursday while being driven by winds that gusted to 50 mph.

Winds were much slower today, which helped prevent the fire from growing much. Humidity was also rising in the parched, pine-covered suburban area known as the Dishman Hills.

The 13 homes were scattered throughout the 1,200 acres, Clifford said.

Winds appeared to be gradually increasing as Friday wore on, which raised fears that embers would ignite new fires, Clifford said.

A trail has been dug around the fire, but winds would push it easily over the barrier, Clifford said.

More than 200 residents were evacuated Thursday night, and many remained out of their homes today.

State Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland said a half-dozen major wildfires east of the Cascade Range were straining resources, and there might not be a break anytime soon.

"Our resources are really thin," Sutherland said. "It's going to be another hot, dry weekend."

Some firefighters from Washington have been fighting fires in California but are returning, Sutherland said.

Hot, dry winds on Thursday fanned fires in the Spokane area; in Ferry, Lincoln, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties in northeast Washington, and near East Wenatchee in Douglas County and Tonasket and Orondo in Okanogan County.

"Virtually from Wenatchee east, it's a pretty smoky cloud," Gov. Christine Gregoire said late Thursday after flying over the fires.

Gregoire proclaimed a state of emergency for both Spokane and Ferry counties due to the wildfires. That freed up state equipment and other resources.

The cause of the Valley View Fire east of Spokane remained undetermined. In 1991, a firestorm destroyed 114 homes in the same area.

The Red Cross set up an evacuation center at University High School in Spokane Valley.

Meanwhile, high winds at the Badger Mountain Fire pushed flames toward homes on Fancher Heights and two other residential areas near East Wenatchee. As of Friday no structures had burned.

The fire grew to more than 8,000 acres, 12 ½ square miles, said fire spokesman Rick Isaacson. Wind gusts of up to 40 mph were recorded at Pangborn Memorial Airport.

"It ran quite a bit up until midnight, before the winds died down," he said. "People said it was lapping at their doors."

To the north, the Browns Canyon fire near Orondo also spread in the high winds to several thousand acres, but is no longer threatening the Desert Canyon Golf Course, said Pat Brandt, acting chief of Douglas County Fire District 4.

Winds recorded at 74 mph in one location fanned two fires northeast of Tonasket on Thursday afternoon, but firefighters were able to surround one before it got large and made progress on the 2-square-mile Cayuse Fire after winds subsided.

A cabin was lost to the Cayuse Fire 12 miles northeast of Tonasket, and fire came down to Highway 20 in one location but did not jump the road, fire officials said.

High winds throughout Okanogan County downed power lines and several of those started new fires, although some were quickly contained, Sheriff Frank T. Rogers said.

Downed lines sparked a 40-acre fire off Highway 97 north of Ellisforde, but it was contained in a few hours, county Emergency Manager Scott Miller said.

He said he stood by next to a 14,000-volt line across one road while Okanogan County Public Utility District crews arrived to remove it.

"It was just crazy," Rogers said. "The wind just kept blowing and blowing, and then you'd get these huge gusts. You thought it was going to blow you off the road."