President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Washington on Friday, allotting federal disaster relief funds for the wildfires burning across rural areas of the state. The declaration also allows for federal support on the ground in providing food, debris removal, and grief counseling. Washington also called in the National Guard.
The fires, which killed three firefighters Wednesday, have burned nearly 500,000 acres. Evacuation orders are in place in at least six towns. The Seattle Times reports it's the worst fire season in state history.
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