Dozens of firefighters battled a blaze fuelled by strong winds on Washington's Yakama Indian Reservation that damaged or destroyed 20 homes, officials said. The fire apparently started in one house early Saturday afternoon and then spread in the town of White Swan, bolstered by 40 mph (65 kph) winds.
The blaze raged for most of the day. Early Sunday, Yakima County District 5 Fire Chief Brian Vogel told The Associated Press that the wild land fires had been controlled, but thousands of logs on log decks at one of the mills were still burning.
No residents were hurt but two firefighters were treated for minor injuries, Sgt. George Town of the Yakima County Sheriff's Office told the AP. Some residents voluntarily evacuated and took shelter at the town's ceremonial long house and high school.
Rural roads leading to the town, located about 35 miles (56 kilometres) south-west of Yakima, were blocked off due to the danger posed by the fire, the Yakima County Sheriff's dispatch office said. The Yakima Herald-Republic said officials of the Yakama Indian Nation Tribal Council reported that 20 homes had been consumed by the flames. The fires spread to trees and power lines, knocking out some electricity.
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