CHELAN COUNTY, Wash. — Chelan County declared a state of emergency in response to the Red Apple Fire on Wednesday, that is burning between the towns of Cashmere and Wenatchee along US 2.
Declaring a state of emergency allows the local commissioners the ability to activate recourses with out having to do through the typical government processes. This also allows for the county to receive access to most state and federal recovery assistance funding.
In early July, Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency due to wildfire burning through out the state. Part of the declaration includes a prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning through Sept. 30.
The Red Apple Fire broke out Tuesday night and within hours burned over 1,000 acres threatening homes, orchards and a power station in the area. The fire grew to an estimated 7,000 acres by Wednesday morning, according to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
The city of Chelan says there is now over 1,000 homes in Level 3, go now evacuations. Those homes are in the Sunnyslope area of Wenatchee, from Highway 2 and Burch Mountain Road to north of Easy Street and American Fruit Road. There have been no reports of homes being destroyed in this fire.
The Washington State Department of Transportation closed a four-mile stretch of US 97A just north of Wenatchee due to fire activity Wednesday morning. Both directions of US 97A are closed between Ohme Gardens Rd. and Swakane Canyon Rd. Drivers are asked to avoid the area and use US 97 as an alternate route. There is currently no estimated time of reopening.
Fire officials with Chelan County Fire District 6 asked people to stay out of the area Tuesday night as too much traffic on Easy Street and US 2 was making it difficult for firefighters to access the area.