Ongoing wildfires threaten Chelan County, Washington

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CATEGORIES:

Agriculture
Business & Industry
Fire
Plants & Wildlife
Relief, Response & Restrictions
Society & Public Health
Tourism & Recreation

AFFECTED AREAS:

Chelan County, WA

7/13/2012 - 10/1/2012

A dry lightening storm on Sept. 8 started over 100 fires in the county. After over two months without rain, and in an arid area anyway, we have been set up for wildfires. Most of the fires, including the largest ones, are less than 50% contained. Air quality has been listed as "hazardous" for most of that time due to the smoke in the valleys held there by a non-stop inversion. This is a destination resort town, and that includes agri-tourism (particularly wine) which has a short season. Farmers' markets have been closed at times, limiting accessibility to local produce, and farmers have told me their local sales are down 60-70%. Everybody is advised to stay indoors, and if one must go out to wear a special respirator mask. Some schools have been closed for up to a week. Recreational events, e.g., ball games, equestrian events, fishing, etc. have been cancelled, or only attended by a few. Hiking and camping--major activities for locals and tourists--have come to a halt due both to air quality and closure of forests due to the fires. The recreational impacts will continue for decades due to the loss of lives and habitats for animals, and loss of vegetation from fire and suppression. Large game hunting is greatly limited due to closures, and birds open this weekend with similar issues, including air quality. There are some stores in town that depend on this hunting to carry them through the year. State agencies that sell fishing, hunting and access licenses and permits will not have the revenue needed to carry out their mandates in this time of general budget shortfalls. Hotels and restaurants are slow, and the streets are relatively empty. The Governor has declared a State of Emergency, and at times there have been over 2000 staff fighting fires. Residential evacuations have been going off and on, but no homes have been lost. At this time there is no end in sight until the snow comes. We are waiting now for a front to come in from the Pacific Coast (this is the eastern foothills of the Cascades). The front will bring up to 30mph winds with no moisture, and that is expected to carry with it more fire activity. This will not end without precipitation, and that will likely not come until winter weather begins, at least a month from now at the higher elevations of the fires. CoCoRaHS Report from Station #Wenatchee 4.5 S on 10/1/2012

Sources

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• Wenatchee 4.5 S. CoCoRaHS Report from Station #Wenatchee 4.5 S on 10/1/2012. ?
  

Source: http://moderator.droughtreporter.unl.edu/RSSfeed/ImpactView/27820

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