GRANT COUNTY, Wash. — Update: At this time, all evacuation notices for all of today’s wildfires in Grant County are cancelled, according to the Grant County Sheriff's Office.
Original: Evacuations are underway in central Washington in the Soap Lake area due to a wildfire.
The Grant County Sheriff's Office issued a Level 3 evacuation notice on Tuesday for residents due to the flames.
According to the Grant County Sheriff's Office, the Level 3 notice for residents means "they leave the area now and don't delay," as a wildfire is moving in their direction, and the danger to safety is increasing.
Grant County Sheriff's Office says people living in the following areas should leave their homes quickly if local authorities ask them to do so:
- Adrian Road S of SR28
- 21000 block Rd D.5 NE
- Area of Road D.5 NE and 20.6 NE
- Area of Road D.5 NE and 20.7 NE
- East of Soap Lake
Officers will go door-to-door to notify residents within the Level 3 area in Grant County. Officials are asking residents that do not evacuate to be aware they may not receive any further notice to leave, as emergency services may not be able to help them later if they decide to stay.
Around 50 structures are at risk due to the flames, according to the Grant County Sheriff's Office. There's no estimate on when the fire will be under control.
KREM 2's Whitney Ward spoke with Kyle Foreman, Grant County emergency management specialist, about what fire crews are doing to contain the flames. Foreman says the fire has grown due to strong winds and dry conditions in the area.
Foreman says resources are currently stretched thin in Grant County, as crews are also working to evacuate the Coulee Medical Center due to a gas leak and multiple other fires in the county today. Patients from the Coulee Medical Center are being transported to other area hospitals.
Foreman said it's unclear at this time what sparked the wildfire. He hopes residents will use caution with fireworks heading into the Fourth of July weekend to avoid other fire outbreaks.
KREM 2 has a crew at the scene. Please check back for updates to this developing story.
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