Hundreds of homes threatened as winds fan wildfire in central Washington

A firefighter walks on Bully Choop Road, west of Redding, Calif., on Wednesday, July 16, 2014. (Record Searchlight, Andreas Fuhrmann)

SPOKANE, Wash. - Driven by scorching hot temperatures and strong winds, a new central Washington wildfire threatened hundreds of homes Wednesday and sent up a towering column of smoke.

The Chiwaukum Creek fire about 10 miles north of Leavenworth raced across nearly 2 square miles by evening and prompted the closure of a 15-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 2.

As many as 400 people have been told to leave their homes or cabins and another 800 homes were threatened, said Eileen Ervin, a Chelan County emergency management spokeswoman.

Worsening wildfire activity has prompted the governor's offices in both Washington and Oregon to declare a state of emergency, a move that enables state officials to call up the National Guard. In Washington, that declaration covers 30 eastern Washington counties.

Wildfires were also burning in Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Oregon and California.

The Chiwaukum Creek fire, first detected Tuesday, was believed caused by lightning. It sent a smoke plume 25,000 feet into the air as it burned through heavy timber.