
ESTACADA, Ore. (AP) – Firefighters in the Pacific Northwest are scrambling to keep up with dozens of wildfires that have burned houses, forced people to flee and trapped firefighters and civilians. Oregon’s governor said Wednesday that hundreds of homes have been destroyed. In neighboring Washington state, one fire leveled an entire farming town. Pacific Northwest firefighters say they are stunned by the intensity and speed of the blazes in areas that almost never experience such fire activity because of the zone’s normally cool and wet climate. Gusting winds with speeds of 30 to 50 mph that can easily fan flames were forecast Wednesday through Thursday.