WA wildfire prompts evacuations for people in 50 homes

SOAP LAKE, Wash. (AP) — People in about 50 homes near a wildfire in central Washington were told by law enforcement to leave their homes immediately on Tuesday afternoon.

The Grant County Sheriff’s Office said at about 2:45 p.m. that people living on certain streets east of Soap Lake should leave their homes without delay because of a wildfire.

The sheriff’s office said 37 homes were threatened and updated that later to about 50 homes. About 300 acres had burned as of Tuesday evening, according to the sheriff’s office. No injuries had been reported.

State transportation officials said State Route 28 was closed just east of the junction with State Route 17 near Soap Lake, because of fire on both sides of the road.

Officials said there was no detour available and no estimated time for reopening.

Two separate power outages were also reported because of the fire, impacting about 100 customers in Soap Lake and 300 customers in Winchester, according to the Grant County Public Utility District.

It wasn’t immediately known when the fire started or its cause.