Wildfires in Spokane area among many battled across U.S. West

SPOKANE, Washington — Wildfires in the Spokane area have burned more than a dozen homes and forced evacuations, officials said Monday.

One blaze west of the eastern Washington city had destroyed at least six homes and scorched more than 23 square kilometres by Monday morning, the Department of Natural Resources said.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said 11 structures were destroyed near the town of Davenport, a figure that includes homes, garages and outbuildings.

The fire jumped the Spokane River and threatened the small community of Wellpinit on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Residents were told to leave after the town lost power.

Another wildfire, south of Spokane near the town of Spangle, destroyed at least 10 homes and numerous other buildings Sunday, according to the Washington State Patrol.

A third blaze was burning on the northeast side of the city. That fire had scorched 250 acres, and officials said some homes were likely destroyed.

Growing wildfires fed by windy, dry conditions have destroyed also buildings and forced evacuations in central California, Oregon and elsewhere.

A growing wildfire in central California had charred nearly 130 square km by Monday, while a destructive blaze in southern California was mostly under control.

Nearly 1,900 structures were threatened by a blaze in coastal San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties, where more than 2,400 people were under evacuation orders.

The fire was 35 per cent contained after destroying 34 homes and 14 other buildings.

About 130 kilometres up the coast, California’s biggest fire grew to nearly 350 square km in rugged wilderness coast along Highway 1 north of Big Sur.

More than 400 homes remained threatened by the fire.

A 150-square-km fire that destroyed 105 homes in Southern California was almost entirely contained and all evacuation orders were lifted.

Meanwhile, a wildfire spotted Sunday afternoon in eastern Oregon has quickly become one of the state’s largest active blazes.

Fire officials say the fire has scorched nearly 150 square km of brush and grass near the Idaho state line. Officials said the fire’s size was reduced from 210 square km due to better mapping.

Bureau of Land Management spokesman Larry Moore said the wildfire was burning east of the Owyhee Reservoir, and it was threatening Succor Creek State Park.

One hundred firefighters battled the fire Monday morning. The cause of the fire is unknown.