View this article online: https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/west/2021/01/07/301353.htm
LOFALL, Wash. (AP) — Eight waterfront homes along Hood Canal in Washington have been evacuated due to a fire and a landslide that has destabilized the hillside and pushed trees into at least one home, emergency officials said.
Firefighters responded to the scene, a cluster of homes on Seclusion Cove about seven miles north of Poulsbo, at around 5 p.m. Monday after receiving reports of a fire in a boathouse and an RV, a Poulsbo Fire Department official said.
When crews arrived, they found the hillside above the homes was sliding, so they couldn’t reach the burning boathouse with their equipment, KOMO-TV reported. A fireboat had to be called in to battle the flames.
Meanwhile, crews evacuated eight waterfront homes there due to the slide, which had destabilized the road leading to the cove. The mudslide was estimated to measure about 150 feet (45.7 meters) wide and about 200 feet (60.9 meters) long.
No one was injured.
Inspectors are trying to determine whether the landslide is still moving and whether it is safe to let residents return. Officials said it was unclear whether there was a connection between the fire and the slide, which also knocked out power to the eight homes.
Landslides have been reported in other parts of the state and in Oregon this week because of ongoing rain storms.
A slide was partially blocking the Columbia River Highway west of Multnomah Falls in Oregon on Tuesday, according to the state Department of Transportation. Another slide closed Highway 30 just east of Astoria.
The National Weather Service in Seattle warned on Twitter that Tuesday’s forecast “has it all” with wind, rain, snow in the mountains and dangerous beach conditions.
“Given recent heavy rainfall, the ground is very saturated so expect urban street flooding & an elevated threat of landslides. River flooding continues at several locations,” the agency said.
The National Weather Service in Portland tweeted that another storm would bring large waves to the south Washington and Oregon coasts Tuesday. “Stay back from the waves and avoid climbing on rocks, jetties or logs,” the weather service said.