Results tagged “centralwashington”

Seattlest needed a brief reprieve from the city, so we headed east on Highway 2 for three hours to the Bavarian-themed tourist mecca of Leavenworth: a perma-Christmas wonderland of knickknack shops featuring more dipping sauce stores than actual tax-paying residents.

Governor Christine Gregoire has signed a statewide state of emergency to deal with a number of wildfires in Central and Eastern Washington. Fires are being battled in Chelan, Douglas, Stevens, Adams, Ferry, Okanogon, and Spokane counties. The Spokane Valley fire has already destroyed 13 homes and has consumed over 1200 acres since it started. A fire outside of Wenatchee has already burned more than 12 and a half square miles, and with high wind and hot temperatures, the fire danger is only increasing. Mandatory evacuations have been declared in several hotspots throughout the state. The state of emergency will remain in place until Governor Gregoire rescinds it and the fires have been controlled.

So much for feeling all wonderful and relaxed after getting out of the city and off the computer for the three-day weekend. This is what greeted Seattlest at the 93 mile marker when we left The Gorge early "to miss concert traffic:"