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Chelan Fire 2015: Wildfires Destroy At Least 50 Structures As Over 1,600 Residents Are Evacuated

By Cassie Boss
Published on: 05:27 PST, Aug 16, 2015

The Chelan Fire of 2015 has left thousands in panic and despair as fast moving wildfires leave them wondering if they will have anything left to come home to after being evacuated.

According to NBC Right Now, four wildfires burning near Chelan, Washington, led to the evacuation of thousands, power outages, and possibly 50-100 homes in immediate danger. The four fires causing the most panic include the Reach Fire, First Creek Fire, Cagle Fire, and finally the Antoine Fire, and they are said to be burning north, south, and east of Lake Chelan.

While no injuries had been reported at the time of this report, over 1,600 people had been evacuated in the Chelan area, according to the Seattle Times. While thousands of homes are in direct danger because of these fast-moving fires, so far, Dave Helvey of the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that somewhere between 50 and 75 structures have burned, though the end result could be “substantially higher.”

While the fires are a real danger to thousands, report state that the fires are not being controlled at this time, and that only structure protection is being focused on due to limited resources. Fire crews and emergency workers are reportedly being pushed to their absolute limits with major fires burning not only in Chelen, but also in Okanogan, Ferry, and Yakima counties, not to mention all the fires burning in nearby states.

“There’s just a real strain on all the resources we have right now,” Rob Allen, the deputy incident commander, said at a Saturday briefing, citing fires burning in Oregon, Northern California, Idaho, Nevada and Colorado according to the Seattle Times.

Those in the area of the Chelan Fire have been sharing photos, messages, and other updates to friends, family, and followers, thanks to social media.

Stay with the Inquisitr as more information on the Chelan Fire of 2015 becomes available.

[Image via Twitter]

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