Update - 8:24 a.m.
Firefighters continued to monitor a wildfire east of Gold Bar that has now grown to 325 acres, according to Snohomish County Fire District 7. Crews are hopeful winds are dying down enough to ease their efforts Saturday morning.
Overnight, the evacuation area south of U.S. 2 between 437th and 439th Dr. S.E. was upgraded to a Level 3 evacuation, which means that "danger is currently affecting your area or is imminent, and you should leave immediately.GÇ¥ It was down to a Level 2 as of 7:30 a.m. Saturday.
An emergency shelter was set up at Sultan Middle School for evacuated families. Volunteers of America (VOA) Director Calei Vaughn and Sultan City Councilmember Marianne Naslund helped coordinate the shelter efforts.
Residents in the Big Bend community are still under a Level 1 evacuation order, which means they should remain cautious, monitoring local media for updates.
No homes have been lost and no injuries have been reported.
The fire command will transition to a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Type 3 regional team on Saturday, May 14, as outlined in the Washington Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan.
Update
The Level 1 evacuation has been expanded to include the area south of U.S. 2, from 437th Drive S.E. to Forest Service Road 62. The terrain has been called steep and difficult for crews to navigate, with some areas completely inaccessible. According to a news release from assisting agency Snohomish County Fire District No. 7, the size of the fire is 75 acres.
Crews were dispatched to the area at 4:47 p.m., after receiving a report of smoke on the hillside east of Gold Bar. According to the District 7 news release, winds are moving 3-5 mph, with eastern gusts up to 8 mph.
Crews from Gold Bar, Clearview, Monroe, Index, Getchell, Duvall and the forest service are all assisting.
"Crews will be at the fire through the night. Our main objective is the keep the public and crews safe,GÇ¥ states Heather Chadwick, Snohomish County Fire District 3/7 public information officer, in a news release.
Original story - 6:49 p.m.
Firefighters from multiple Snohomish County agencies are battling a 20-acre wind-driven wildfire east of Gold Bar, off of Forest Service Road 62.
As of 6:15 p.m. Friday, May 13, the fire had been upgraded to a two-alarm. Residents on the south side of U.S. 2 east of Zeke's Drive In to Forest Service Road 62 are under a Level 1 evacuation.
Crews from around the region have been deployed to help, and there are reports that some areas of the fire are unsafe for crews.
A Level 1 evacuation is an alert to notify residents that danger exists and they should be cautious and mindful. Local media outlets should be monitored frequently to check for any increases in the severity of the situation. Residents with pets or livestock should carefully consider a Level 1 alert, and start making accommodations to transfer their pets should conditions worsen.Photos courtesy of Jimmy PhillipsPhoto courtesy of Snohomish County Fire District 3/7Photo courtesy of Snohomish County Fire District 3/7
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