Three firefighters聽who were combating the Twisp River Fire in Washington聽died Wednesday after their vehicle crashed, .聽Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers told King 5 that聽the firefighters likely died in the crash and that the聽fire overtook their vehicle afterward.
Four other people鈥攖wo Department of Natural Resources (DNR) employees, a DNR contractor, and a Forest Service employee鈥攚ere also injured in the fire, though it鈥檚 unclear if they were involved in the accident.
The DNR said that the Twisp River Fire spread to 1,500 acres and grew Wednesday night, . It joined the Okanogan Complex Fire, which covers 88,161 acres and is聽less than 40 percent contained. Residents in the towns of Twisp and Winthrop, Washington, were ordered to evacuate.
Governor Jay Inslee warned of the continued danger of the fires. 鈥淭he conditions throughout the area remain extremely dangerous, and I hope residents and visitors will heed evacuation orders or other emergency directions,鈥� he .