Fires continue to burn in central Washington

SPOKANE, Wash. – Wildfires continued to burn in central Washington, aided by unseasonably warm temperatures.

An inversion moved into the Wenatchee area Sunday evening, holding smoke in the region where 1,700 people are fighting a complex of wildfires burning about 51 square miles. Hundreds of people have been evacuated.

Fire officials say the area is extremely dry and conditions are right for rapid growth on existing fires and new fire starts.

All of Washington's current big wildfires started during a Sept. 8 lightning storm. About 3,700 firefighters, comprising every available firefighter in the state and some from Canada, were battling the fires.