The Washington wildfire Wednesday seems to show no signs of subsiding, and just earlier three U.S. Forest Service firefighters have already been killed while trying to put out the blaze. According to authorities, the firefighters' vehicle crashed while they were battling the massive north-Central Washington wildfires, which are now reportedly advancing on area towns.
The deaths from the Washington wildfire took place as winds shifted in an unexpected manner near Twisp and Winthrop towns. The winds turned back and headed for the crews battling a new but small fire, according to Frank Rogers, the Okanogan County's Sheriff.
Officials: 3 US Forest Service firefighters who died were involved in vehicle accident when it is believed the fire overtook the vehicle.
— Joe Fryer (@joefryer) August 20, 2015
"The firefighters were engaged in initial attack operations and were involved in a vehicle accident when it is believed that the fire overtook the vehicle," said an Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest statement. Aside from the three firefighters killed, four other were injured. It remains unclear whether the four were also involved in the Washington wildfire accident that killed the three firefighters. According to CNN, a spokesman from Seattle's Harborview Medical Center said that one of the injured firefighters currently remains in critical condition and is suffering severe burns. The Forest agency's statement also said that the injured four included two from the Department of Natural Resources, one a contractor from DNR and one a worker from the U.S. Forest Service. According to officials, the names and other info of the casualties from the Washington wildfire will only be released upon family notification. The Washington wildfire is only one of the more than 100 wildfires spreading in over 1.1 million acres in the West, authorities told NBC News. "It was a hellstorm up here," said Rogers. "The fire was racing and the winds were blowing in every direction and then it would shift. ... It was tough on 'em up here." News of the three firefighters killed in the Washington wildfire has reached the White House. In an emailed statement, the White House said President Barack Obama has already been apprised and that he has directed the administration to stay comunicating with state and local officials for further necessary federal assistance. "On behalf of a grateful nation, the president's thoughts and prayers are with the families of these brave Americans," said Eric Schultz, a White House spokesperson. Following the Washington wildfire, over the next 48, winds are reportedly expected to increase substantially, with residents being warned by Okanagon County Emergency Management officials to regularly monitor for weather updates. On late Wednesday afternoon, commanders also updated on the Chelan Complex blaze, another five-fire Washington wildfire spanning over 70,000 acres on the east of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. As of the time of update the blaze has only been 50 percent contained, with more than 70 structures destroyed.
My heart breaks over the loss of life in the Twisp fire. We keep all firefighters in our prayers tonight https://t.co/NilDOy0Xj9 #wawildfire — Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) August 20, 2015
On Wednesday, another three separate multi-fire complexes affecting more than 163,000 acres has spread around Northern California's Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Wednesday was the wildfire's third straight day of fires.
In the same day, the River Complex near Trinity County's Denny remained 18 percent contained after its 45,477 acres have also been affected by wildfires. As a result, the towns of Denny, Daily Ranch, Bell Flat, Hoboken and Quinby were placed under mandatory evacuation orders.
Meanwhile, in Oregon, the biggest problem was Grant County's 48,201-acre Canyon Creek Complex wildfires. On Wednesday, the blaze was reportedly out of control, destroying over 36 homes and 50 other structures.
On Tuesday, the Defense Department has mobilized 200 active-duty service members to help put out the wildfires, its first in over a decade.
According to the Associated Press, the recent wildfires, which include the Washington Wednesday, were a result of the most active fire season in the United States in recent years, brought on by combined drought and heat.
Across the west, nearly 29,000 firefighters are continuing their battles against some 100 large blazes, which include areas like Montana, Washington, Idaho, Oregon and California.
