The Kittitas County Emergency Operations Center issued level three evacuations for 154 homes in the Middle Fork Teanaway area as the Jolly Mountain fire moved southeast on Wednesday.
Level three means leave now; there's immediate fire danger.
Teanaway Road is closed at the intersection of West Fork and North Fork Roads.
Firefighters are battling the blaze that is burning 11 miles northwest of Cle Elum and has burned approximately 5,164 acres and is 0 percent contained.
Kittitas County officials declared a state of emergency due to the increasing fire threat on Tuesday.
The county Board of Commissioners approved the resolution at the request of the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office who has issued level 2 evacuations to over 500 homes threatened by the fire.
The resolution suspends typical “red tape” and allows county departments to sign contracts swiftly and incur expenses needed for emergency operations.
Kittitas County’s Emergency Operations Center, which activated as a result of the resolution, will coordinate requests and information with all county departments.
The Red Cross opened a shelter for Jolly Mountain fire evacuees at Putnam Centennial Center, 719 East Third Street, Cle Elum.
Smoke from Norse Peak fires, near Cliffdell, and Jolly Mountain fires, near Cle Elum, is likely to continue to plague Kittitas County for the remainder of the week.
Most locations along I-5 corridor will see smoke throughout Tuesday but can expect the sky to start clearing by Wednesday morning.
