Mandatory evacuations for wildfire near Entiat

ENTIAT, Wash. — Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in central Washington state as a wildfire continued to grow in size.

The Cougar Creek fire is northwest of the town of Entiat and by Wednesday morning had burned about 14.3 square miles (37 square kilometers), the most of any fire in the state.

That prompted officials to order that some area residents immediately evacuate their homes.

The fire was sparked by lightning July 28 and has been growing in a remote area about 20 miles northwest of Entiat.

The fire is expected to continue growing over the next few days as temperatures rise into the triple digits. By Friday, strong winds are expected to arrive.

About 700 firefighters are battling the blaze.

KIRO 7 will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

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Associated Press