A forest fire near Satus Pass has grown to at least 2,000 acres overnight, forced evacuations of about 150 homes and destroyed at least one house, authorities said this morning.
"We had active burning through night," said Mark Grassel, a spokesman for the Washington incident management team.
Firefighters from around the state have made no progress on containing the blaze, dubbed the Monastery Complex Fire after the St. John The Forerunner Greek Orthodox Monastery, located along Highway 97 just south of Satus Pass.
The monastery was evacuated, along with homes within a 15-square mile area, Grassel said.
So far, no injuries have been reported, Grassel said.
Grassel confirmed that one house had been destroyed, but he did not know where it was.
Fire officials are orchestrating containment efforts from a command center at the Klickitat County Fairgrounds in Goldendale. They have the assistance about 400 firefighters from all over the state, as well as Klickitat County Fire District No. 7.
A strike team and engines from Benton fire districts 1, 2 and 4, Franklin Fire District 3, Walla Walla fire districts 4 and 5 are leaving at 4 a.m. today to help fight the fire, according to Benton Fire District 1.
The state Fire Protection Bureau had ordered 55 wildland fire trucks and 10 water tenders, according to a news release early this morning.
Also, two planes and one helicopter are dumping water on the blaze today, Grassel said.
Also at the fairgrounds, the American Red Cross has set up a shelter for evacuees; 11 people stayed there last night, Grassel said. The Red Cross also assisted another 12 people in other ways.
The fire burned ground, and possibly two pit toilets, in Brooks Memorial State Park, also located just south of Satus Pass, Grassel said.
Firefighting efforts could be hampered today with winds of up to 20 mph and temperatures around 90 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Pendleton, Ore.
The fire is burning on both sides of Highway 97 and moving south, Grassel said.
The road is open but remains reduced to a single lane with a flaggers and a pilot car between Allen Creek Road and Satus Pass because of the potential for flareups, said Abbi Russell, a state Department of Transportation spokeswoman in Vancouver, Wash.
The restrictions are expected to last at least through the rest of the day, she said. Drivers should expect 30 minute delays.
