WENATCHEE, Wash. – A wildfire fueled by high temperatures and strong winds roared into a Wenatchee neighborhood, forcing more than a thousand people to flee their homes and destroying more than a dozen structures, authorities said early Monday.
The blaze sparked Sunday afternoon was destroying everything in its path and was still burning out of control the next morning, said Rich Magnussen, a spokesman for the Chelan County Emergency Management office. 
“We’ve got hundreds of homes under evacuation notices,” he said.
In addition, the fire has burned the Northwest Wholesale fruit packing company, and a large fire burned right behind the Sav-Mart store, Magnussen said. A WalMart store has also been evacuated.
The Sleepy Hollow Fire began Sunday afternoon near Wenatchee and then swept down a hillside into a commercial district and housing development.
“The fire started right down by us,” said Randy Dawson. “We called it in, and it went straight up the hill right behind our house.”
Steep hillsides and stiff winds drove flames toward Wenatchee faster than emergency crews could move as temperatures reached 104 degrees during the peak of the afternoon. Walls of fire and choking black smoke swallowed up homes along the slopes, and even two helicopters fighting the fire with water from a nearby river couldn’t contain the destruction.
More than 1,000 residents have been told to leave their homes for safety, and firefighters are going door-to-door making sure those in imminent danger get out.
“If you are in the Western Ave. area, please leave the area, the situation is very dangerous,” theChelan County Sheriff’s Office posted on their Facebook page Sunday night. “We may not be able to get to your house to warn you, so please leave your residences.”
There is still no word on what started the fire, or when crews might get the upper hand. The fire’s size was estimated at 2.6 square miles as of late Sunday evening, but it has grown and officials are still determining its scope.
Hundreds of firefighters were on the scene and more are headed there.
The Red Cross opened an emergency shelter at Eastmont High School in Wenatchee for people who had evacuated the area. More than 100 people were staying there Sunday night.
Those needing to evacuate animals can bring them to the Chelan County Fairgrounds and Waterville Fairgrounds, Magnussen said.
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Wildfire-near-Wenatchee-burns-dozens-of-homes-310578901.html