Rain Helps Firefighters in Western Washington

GOLD BAR, Wash. (AP) — Rain and cooler weather is helping firefighters in Western Washington fight two wildfires in rough terrain. But fire officials say it will take a lot more than a gentle rain to put out the two fires burning in Snohomish County.

A spokesman with an interagency fire team, Randy Shepard, says the fire burning on U.S. Forest Service land near Gold Bar has burned about 352 acres. The fire is about 10 percent contained and a crew of nearly 200 people is working on it.

Shepard says heavy fuel and steep terrain mean this fire will take a while to put out, but there has been no significant growth in the blaze this weekend. A level one evacuation notice is still in effect, which means people may be asked to leave their homes but are not immediately threatened.

Another fire burning near Oso is about 20 percent contained. New mapping has shrunk the size of that blaze to about 67 acres.

The causes of both fires are still under investigation.