Light winds helped firefighters gain ground Monday on a wildfire that has burned nearly 10 square miles of dry grass and sagebrush in central Washington, as investigators examined how three firefighters were injured fleeing their truck in the flames.
The firefighters had driven down a driveway to protect a home that was threatened, but the fire came up too quickly and they were unable to turn around, said Christy Boisselle, a spokeswoman for West Valley Fire and Rescue. They escaped with minor injuries after the blaze jumped the dusty dirt road, where the remnants of the scorched truck remained.
By Monday evening, the fire that started Sunday was about 35 percent contained, Boisselle said.
If winds continue to be mild, "We'll be sitting good," she said, adding that about 250-275 people have been assigned to the fire.
Fire officials earlier said the blaze burned 10,000 acres, but downgraded that number to 6,200 acres later Monday after mapping it.
It started about 10 miles west of downtown Yakima, an agricultural hub known for fruit trees, wine grapes and hops for beer. The area around the fire is comprised of orchards, old farm houses, and recently built homes
阅读(114) | 评论(0) | 转发(0) |
