How did the wildfire begin?

Officials learned of the Nakia Creek Fire on Oct. 9, when someone reported seeing it on Larch Mountain in Yacolt Burn State Forest in Washington. The mountain is about nine miles northeast of Camas, Wash., a city abutting the Columbia River. There was no lightning nearby when the blaze began, and officials believe the fire was probably human-caused, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday. The wildfire’s origin is under investigation.

How fast is the fire growing?

The Nakia Creek Fire ballooned Sunday from 156 acres, jumping containment lines under winds so strong that crews fighting the blaze by air were sometimes grounded for safety. The wildfire smoldered and crept in a steep area Sunday, with the continued possibility that it would grow. Winds were slowing and humidity was increasing in the evening, which the National Weather Service’s Portland station said was a good sign. Gentler winds do not push fire as much, the Weather Service said, and increasing moisture in the air makes it harder for grass and twigs to burn. Favorable conditions enabled crews to record the size of the fire at 1,565 acres, down from a previous estimate of 2,000 acres. The Nakia Creek Fire and several other fires in Washington and Oregon were causing heavy smoke. “While the weather is favorable today, there are still a lot of uncertainties,” the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency said Monday. “Fire fighting activities are dependent on the weather. Please be patient, but be prepared. We urge folks to err on the side of caution.”

Is there any danger to people or property?

People living in more than 2,900 homes had been ordered to evacuate as of Sunday because of immediate danger. Residents of more than 33,000 other homes faced warnings that they may need to leave if fire conditions near them worsen. “Please Understand that this is a very dynamic situation and if you are anywhere near this area, you should take precautions to evacuate,” the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency said . The Washougal School District and Mount Pleasant School, both in Washougal, Wash., canceled classes Monday in response to the fire. The American Red Cross opened a shelter in Camas, Wash. Ongoing drought and heat in the Northwest means that the fire could keep growing this week. An incident commander told crews Sunday that “while the calendar may say it’s October 16th … I need you to think like it’s August 16th” — peak wildfire season — according to the county emergency services agency.

What kind of weather has the Northwest had recently?

The Northwest has recently endured unseasonably warm and dry weather — conditions that fuel wildfires. Parts of Oregon and Washington broke high temperature records Sunday for the fifth straight day. “Almost starting to sound like a broken record,” the National Weather Service’s Portland office said . Portland International Airport has gotten only 0.31 inches of rain since Sept. 1 — marking the third driest instance of that time period on record. Clark County emergency officials said local fire officials had been working long days for months amid an unusually long fire season, which has usually ended by October in that area. Thirteen other large blazes are burning in Washington and seven are active in Oregon. Although dry and warm conditions have invigorated those late-season wildfires, Washington may see its smallest area burned in a decade this wildfire season, NASA said.

What to know about the Nakia Creek Fire forcing thousands to evacuate

By Marisa Iati

Updated October 17, 2022 at 2:37 p.m. EDT|Published October 17, 2022 at 2:06 p.m. EDT

The Nakia Creek Fire burning in southern Washington has prompted thousands of evacuations. Tens of thousands more are on notice that they might have to flee. (Washington State Department of Natural Resources)

A wildfire blazing about 20 miles northeast of Portland, Ore., exploded in size Sunday, forcing thousands from their homes and putting tens of thousands more on notice that they may have to flee.

The Nakia Creek Fire covered roughly 1,565 acres as of Monday and was about 5 percent contained. Officials warned that the situation was “very dynamic” and anyone nearby should be prepared to evacuate.

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Here’s what we know about the blaze, which broke out this month.