Wildfire Destroys 60 Homes in Washington

A wildfire between the northwest Washington towns of Cle Elum and Ellensburg at the eastern edge of the Cascade Mountains has prompted the evacuation of another 400 homes and Gov. Christine Gregoire to declare a state of emergency in two counties.

It’s estimated at least 60 home have been destroyed.

According to authorities, the 28,000-acre-and-growing Taylor Bridge Fire was started on Monday afternoon by workers at a construction site east of Cle Elum, about 75 miles southeast of Seattle, Reuters reported. Winds are pushing the fire east toward an area of mostly farmland, although more homes are in its path.

Roughly 800 people were assigned to fight the fire, which is roughly 10 percent contained. An estimated 900 people have been evacuated.