Twin Sisters fire on WA-Oregon line forcing evacuations. High winds coming

The Twin Sisters area fire south of the Wallula Junction along Highway 730 in Walla Walla County was 50% contained at 8,260 acres on Monday.

Much of the area burning in the Twin Sisters area is inaccessible to fire rigs, and the blaze was being driven at times by the wind, according to the Southeast Washington Inter-Agency Team.

The fire was being fought on both sides of the Washington and Oregon state line.

Major power lines that run through the fire area were shut down for safety, and power companies rerouted power to avoid outages, where possible.

There are 12 engines assigned to the fire and three, 20-person crews.

Some residents of the area have been evacuated and other residents near Highway 730 have been told to prepare for a possible evacuation orders.

The cause of the Twin Sisters fire discovered Sunday morning has not been determined, according to the Washington Fire Chiefs Association.

Highway 730 reopened on Sunday, but fire officials are asking people to avoid the area if possible, so firefighters can work safely.

No structures have been damaged, and no firefighters have been injured.

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag fire warning for the Wallula Junction area from 10 am. to 11 p.m. Tuesday and firefighters can expect to face challenging weather conditions.

Wind gusts of up to 37 mph, temperatures as hot as 92 degrees and low relative humidity will cause fires to spread quickly, says the weather service.