New Evacuations Issued As High Winds Whip Labor Mtn. Fire

High winds in North Central Washington on Thursday afternoon have prompted new and elevated evacuation levels for both the Lower Sugarloaf and Labor Mountain Fires.

Gusts in excess of 50 mph have whipped both fires into an eastbound frenzy and quickly caused officials with Chelan County Emergency Management to issue a Level 3 "Leave Now!" evacuation notice for the entire Blewett Pass area, including all homes on the summit of Old Blewett Pass, Ingalls Creek Road, Camas Creek Road above and including address #2955, Camas Way, and the entire community of Valley Hi.

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A Level 1 Fire Advisory has also been issued for residents on Brender Canyon Road from Sky Meadows Road to its terminus, as well as all of Brisky Canyon Road and Sky Meadows Road, as well as Mission Creek Road from Tripp Canyon Road to its terminus.

To the south, the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office has also issued a Level 3 "Leave Now!" evacuation notice for the area of upper Blewett Pass, including the communities of Cougar Gulch and Mineral Springs north of Liberty.

The affected within the evacuation zone are U.S. Highway 97 south to Mineral Springs Resort; Blue Jay Road; Cougar Road; Eagle Road; Elk Road; Hawk Road; Meadowlark Road; Teal Road; and Wolf Road.

Scores of homes in the vicinity of both the Labor Mountain and Lower Sugarloaf Fires also remain on Level 2 evacuation notices and Level 1 Fire Advisories which could be elevated at a moment's notice due to the ferocity of current conditions within and around the fire zone.

The sun appears as a glowing red cinder in the skies above the Wenatchee Valley outside the KPQ News studios on Thursday afternoon due to a thick drift of smoke from the Labor Mountain Fire (photo credit: Chris Hansen, Townsquare Media)

Smoke impacts from Thursday's brisk winds have been widespread, with many communities east of both fires experiencing thick, oppressive clouds of smoke, along with pockets of falling soot.

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Gallery Credit: ASHLEY SOLLARS

Source: New Evacuations Issued As High Winds Whip Labor Mtn. Fire

Categories: KPQ News