Fast-Moving Wildfire Destroys 80% Of Small Town In Eastern Washington State

[sl8]

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/08/910578980/fast-moving-wildfire-destroys-80-of-small-town-in-eastern-washington-state

Fast-Moving Wildfire Destroys 80% Of Small Town In Eastern Washington State

September 8, 20205:12 AM ET
MARK KATKOV
BILL CHAPPELL

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Western Railroad Discussion Eastern Washington goes up in Flames

Western Railroad Discussion > Eastern Washington goes up in Flames

Date: 09/08/20 03:00
Eastern Washington goes up in Flames
Author: funnelfan

It's been a Labor Day fit for 2020!!! An intense windstorm caused widespread power outages and set off dozens of raging fires. Many homes and businesses have been lost, some towns have been wiped off the map. And the railroads have been hard hit as well, but the true extent of the damage won't be known for several hours. Even though the wind coming out of the north is cold, it was powerful and drove fires for miles.
The railroad I work for, the Washington Eastern RR on the state owned PCC CW Branch was hit by fire. The Whitney fire started a few miles north of Rocklyn just before 11am and burned southwest through sagebrush and wheatfields. At least 3 miles of Hwy 2 and the CW Branch are inside the fire zone, but the fire is still going strong. I made it out that way around dusk and took several photos. Fire was over 5000 acres at last report and probably much larger now.

{snip}

[LizBeth]

2. I have a friend that lives there and was posting yesterday. So sad.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

3. Saw the smoke from fires near Yakima while driving home Friday

We're now getting smoke this morning on the west side of the Cascades.

Not sure if it's drifting from eastern Washington or we have fires on this side now.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Just read E. Wash. smoke is hitting Puget Sound.

Breaks my heart, truly, seeing news of NW fires.

A friend lives a few miles north of the Columbia, in SW Wash. He reports there was a huge windstorm last night,
power down until this am, trees down all over the place. Dunno if it was related to the winds in E. Wash.
but my memory is usually the storms come later in the season.