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CHELAN, Wash. (AP) — The largest wildfire ever recorded in Washington state has grown by more than 22 square miles. And firefighters may see tougher conditions over the weekend, with high winds in the forecast.
The flames have burned more than 470 square miles. They're just 12 percent contained.
Officials say at least 45 homes have been destroyed along with dozens of other structures. Three firefighters have died battling the fires.
In Oregon, crews are working to protect homes from a fire covering 135 square miles. It's destroyed more than three dozen homes. National Guard and other fire crews are working to reinforce lines against winds that are forecast to be gusting up to 40 miles an hour.
Some evacuations have been ordered in west-central Idaho because of a wildfire that has expanded to 40 square miles.
And officials say residents of the Essex area in northwestern Montana could be out of their homes for up to a week because of a fire that is within a half mile of the town on the southern edge of Glacier National Park.
%@AP Links
134-a-17-(Todd Pechota, incident commander, Okanogan Complex Fire, in AP interview)-"some aviation skills"-Okanogan Complex Fire Incident Commander Todd Pechota says local crews are getting more help. (28 Aug 2015)
<<CUT *134 (08/28/15)££ 00:17 "some aviation skills"
135-a-05-(Todd Pechota, incident commander, Okanogan Complex Fire, in AP interview)-"four locations today"-Okanogan Complex Fire Incident Commander Todd Pechota says crews are battling Washington state's largest wildfire on record -- trying to hold fire lines in several spots. (28 Aug 2015)
<<CUT *135 (08/28/15)££ 00:05 "four locations today"
APPHOTO WATW103: An airplane tanker flies through smoky air above a home as it drops fire retardant on a wildfire that flared up in the late afternoon near Omak, Wash., Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015. Firefighters were holding their own Thursday against the largest wildfire on record in Washington state, even as rising temperatures and increased winds stoked the flames. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (27 Aug 2015)
<<APPHOTO WATW103 (08/27/15)££
APPHOTO WATW111: An airplane used to fight wildfires flies past the sun, which appears orange due to heavy smoke in the air while battling a blaze that flared up in the late afternoon near Omak, Wash., Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015. Firefighters were holding their own Thursday against the largest wildfire on record in Washington state, even as rising temperatures and increased winds stoked the flames. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (27 Aug 2015)
<<APPHOTO WATW111 (08/27/15)££
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