"Firefighters from Australia and even New Zealand have been added to the force battling the biggest wildfire in state history.
According to the NWCC (Northwest Interagency Coordination Center), the Okanogan Complex blaze is the #1 firefighting priority in the entire U.S. It’s passed the 258,000 acre mark, putting it well ahead of the Carlton Complex fire from 2014.
There are now 1,345 official trained firefighters on the lines battling the blaze. It’s made up of at least five different fires that have merged into what is called a “complex” or group that acts as one fire.
There are several other smaller fires burning in other parts of the state that have officials worried, including blazes in Upper Skagit and Alder Lake areas.
Officials say cooler weather and even a little bit of rain would help them gain the upper hand. One official said if they get lit up with lightning and only get a few tenths of rain, that won’t help. But if they get an inch or more of precipitation, lightning won’t matter as much.
Officials say parts of the Okanogan Complex fire could burn well into September before it’s completely contained and put out."
http://newstalk870.am/okanogan-complex-fire-now-number-one-priority-in-u-s/?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=referralNasty piece of work, that fire. It has gotten so bad the authorities have requested volunteers from the civilian community to come and provide assistance.
Please pray for the firefighters who are on the front lines. They are exhausted from fighting the fires, lack of rest, and the damn smoke. We have already lost 3 of them.
