CAMAS, Wash. (AP) — A wildfire fed by gusty winds and low humidity east of Vancouver, Washington state doubled in size Sunday, prompting authorities to order evacuations because the blaze sent up a plume of white smoke visible throughout the metropolitan area that Vancouver shares with Portland, Oregon.
Dubbed the Nakia Creek Fire, the blaze in east Clark County was burning in rugged terrain of brush and timber and had charred about 350 acres (136 hectares) by Sunday afternoon, the Washington State Department of Natural Resouces said. Residents of an estimated 1,000 homes were under evacuation orders, the department said.
The Clark Emergency Services Agency expanded evacuation zones into rural outskirts of Camas and Washougal, The Columbian reported.
“Please understand that this can be a very dynamic situation and if you happen to are anywhere near this area, it is best to take precautions to evacuate,” the emergency services agency said in a press release.
Crews had secured a fringe containing 20% of the fireplace burning within the Larch Block of the Yacolt Burn State Forest. The National Weather Service had posted a red flag warning for wind and low humidity within the region, including the south Washington Cascades, with wind gusts as much as 30 mph (48 kph) for Sunday.
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A shelter for evacuees was opened at a church in Camas.
About 100 personnel were battling the fireplace, which began Oct. 9.
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