Wildfire near Wenatchee forces evacuations on Sunday afternoon

A wind-driven wildfire forced evacuation of some homes east of Wenatchee on Sunday afternoon, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

The fire, burning near Grant and Batterman roads east of Wenatchee, had burned more than 1,000 acres as of 4:30 p.m., according to the Sheriff’s Office. Level 3 evacuations, meaning residents should leave immediately, were in place in the area and a Red Cross shelter had been established at Eastmont High School in East Wenatchee.

The Sheriff’s Office said 80 homes were under some level of evacuation order. No injuries or structure losses had been reported as of 4:30 p.m.

The Washington State Patrol authorized use of state firefighting resources to combat the blaze, which is threatening homes, farmland and infrastructure, according to the Washington Emergency Management Division.

Roads were closed in the area and the Sheriff’s Office urged people to stay away.