Fight against Cle Elum fire aided by weather
A firefighting aircraft drops retardant in the Hidden Valley area as the Taylor Bridge wildfire continues to burn on Friday.
CLE ELUM, Wash. (AP) - Better weather conditions over the weekend have helped firefighters gain ground on fire that has scorched dozens of homes east of the Cascades.
A spokeswoman for the Taylor Bridge fire burning east of Cle Elum said Sunday that lightning strikes hadn't materialized as previously feared. Jessica Payne says fire officials expect the wildfire to be contained on Monday if the weather remains favorable.
The Taylor Bridge Fire broke out last Monday at a bridge construction project and has burned across more than 23,000 acres of grass, sagebrush and timber in rural areas about 75 miles east of Seattle.
Firefighters also made progress at a fire near Grand Coulee Dam that burned about 17 square miles. It broke out Tuesday evening near the community of Elmer City and scorched two outbuildings and threatened several homes. It was 93 percent contained by Sunday morning.