WASHINGTON (KPTV) -
President Barack Obama on Friday declared a state
of emergency in Washington due to the large number of destructive fires
burning in the state.
The declaration authorizes federal agencies
such as FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts and help those
affecting by the fires.
What started as a fairly slow fire season
has quickly turned into one of the most destructive the region has seen
in years, with governors of both Oregon and Washington deploying the
National Guard to assist in firefighting efforts.
Three firefighters were killed and several others injured Wednesday while fighting a fast-moving fire near the town of Twisp.
As of Friday morning, there were 13 large, uncontained fires burning in Washington.
Another 11 major fires were burning out of control in Oregon.
