The Feared Outcome Occurs: Major Wildfire on the Western Side of the Cascades

Last night, major fires developed along the western slopes of the northern Oregon Cascades, and another large fire was initiated northeast of Portland.  The latest visible satellite image shows the unfortunate situation (see below). 

You can see wildfire smoke over Puget Sound and Northwest Washington, something evident if you walk outside--the smell of smoke is strong in Seattle and visibility is greatly degraded.   

But look over northwest Oregon, where a massive fire is burning on the western Cascade slopes (the Beachie Creek fire).  Another fire is burning at and near the crest (Lionshead).  A large, unnamed fire is evident over the southern WA Cascades (blue arrow)

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