Video: Spokane's fire devastation felt statewide

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SPOKANE, Wash. - Washington Governor Chris Gregoire signed a statewide State of Emergency proclamation Friday, freeing up equipment, human resources and funding to help battle the growing wildfires in central and Eastern Washington.  

"I am prepared to do what it takes to get these fires under control," Gregoire said. "We must do whatever we can to protect our people, animals, property, economy and environment."

Fire crews across Washington state are battling fires in Chelan, Douglas, Stevens, Adams, Ferry, and Spokane counties. With hot and dry conditions continuing on both sides of the state, the proclamation ensures the areas have sufficient fire-fighting resources. The emergency proclamation will remain in effect until the governor rescinds it.

State Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland said half a dozen major wildfires east of the Cascade Range were straining resources, and there might not be a break anytime soon.

"Our resources are really thin," Sutherland said. "It's going to be another hot, dry weekend."

Some firefighters from Washington have been fighting fires in California but are returning, Sutherland said.

Hot, dry winds on Thursday fanned fires in the Spokane area; in Ferry, Lincoln, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties in northeast Washington, and near East Wenatchee in Douglas County and Tonasket and Orondo in Okanogan County.

"Virtually from Wenatchee east, it's a pretty smoky cloud," Gregoire said late Thursday after flying over the fires.

The Chelan-Douglas Health District issued an air quality advisory for the Wenatchee Valley, warning that the elderly, children and anyone with heart and lung conditions such as asthma and emphysema should stay indoors with the windows and doors closed because of smoke from the wildfires.

The hills above the Valley View Fire in the Spokane Valley continued to smolder Friday evening as anxious homeowners looked on.

"We were standing on our deck and the flames were whisping into it," said Tobey Rodrigues. He was at home when the fire started Thursday.

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Smoke from the Valley View Fire looms threateningly above homes in the Spokane Valley.

"It was like a giant candle or firework. A tree would just 'poof' explode like that."

Gusts over 50 miles per hour tore through the hillside, burning some 1,200 acres and destroying 13 luxury homes and forcing some 200 residents to evacuate.

The winds calmed Friday, allowing firefighters who have converged from across the state to get a handle on it. It allowed some residents and even wildlife to return to the area.

The cause of the Valley View Fire remained undetermined. In 1991, a firestorm destroyed 114 homes in the same area.

The Red Cross set up an evacuation center at University High School in Spokane Valley.

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for residents in the area. The following is the latest evacuation information for the Valley View Wildfire as of 10:30 a.m. Friday:

* The Ponderosa neighborhood (south of 32nd and southwest of Dishman-Mica Rd.) is now under a level two evacuation. This means homeowners can return to their homes, but will need to show photo ID at police checkpoints and remain prepared to re-evacuate on short notice.

* The neighborhood from 16th Ave. to 24th Ave. west of Dishman-Mica Rd. remains closed at this time.

* The Park Hill neighborhood remains closed until further notice as well.

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At least 13 homes and one building were destroyed by the Valley View Fire burning in the Spokane Valley.

Several fires burning in Central, Eastern Washington

Just north of Wenatchee, the Badger Complex has burned more than 12 square miles of rough terrain. The Browns Canyon Fire no longer threatened the Desert Canyon Golf Course near Orondo, but has scorched some 2,500 acres. The Badger Mountain Fire stood at 5,300 acres. Late Friday night it was reported burning near a large gas tank in an orchard. Fire officials had no estimate of containment on either blaze. About 320 firefighters and two helicopters were battling the two fires.

Dying winds slowed the growth of the Cayuse Fire 12 miles northeast of Tonasket in northcentral Washington, where some 1,500 acres were scorched. The Cayuse fire was 40 percent contained Friday with 200 firefighters on the fire. One unoccupied trailer was lost.

NWCN / Courtesy Mike Bull

Mike Bull took this nighttime photo of the Badger Mountain Fire, which has burned about 8,200 acres near Wenatchee, Wash.

High winds throughout Okanogan County downed power lines and several of those started new fires, although some were quickly contained, Sheriff Frank T. Rogers said.

Downed lines sparked a 40-acre fire off U.S. Highway 97 north of Ellisforde, but it was contained in a few hours, county Emergency Manager Scott Miller said Friday. He said he stood by next to a 14,000-volt line across one road while Okanogan County Public Utility District crews arrived to remove it.

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Badger Creek Fire

Stevens County Commissioners declared a State of Emergency Thursday evening as 40 wildfires are burning in the area forcing evacuations near Barstow, 30 miles north of Colville. A significant wind storm swept through the entire county causing multiple fire starts, power outages and downed trees.

The largest fire in the county in the Barstow area resulted in 28 families being evacuated in both Stevens and Ferry counties. The American Red Cross is assisting with the fire by opening the Kettle Falls High School as an evacuation shelter.

Twenty miles southwest of Naches in south-central Washington, a 70-acre fire near Tampico was 50 percent contained. Some 160 firefighters battled the fire.

Elsewhere in Stevens County, there have been 30 to 40 fire starts as a result of downed power lines and other wind-related issues. A majority of these fires are less than 10 acres and have been mostly contained.

Three fires continue to burn on a total of about 400 acres, nearly two-thirds of a square mile, near the Kettle River on the border of Ferry and Stevens counties. Some structures were threatened by the Doyles Creek fires, and fire officials couldn't say for certain whether any were burned.

Officials closed a portion of Highway 12 near Lewiston, Idaho due to a fire near the Clearwater Casino from mileposts 305 to 308. Washington State Patrol closed Highway 395 due to heavy smoke on the roadway. The largest closures were at mileposts 265 and 248. The casino was evacuated but later reopened.

The cause of all the wildfires remains under investigation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.